Alerts

Warning: Communications misusing the name of Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP

18 October 2022

Telephone calls have been made and emails sent falsely claiming to be from staff at Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP.

What is the scam?

The SRA has been informed that telephone calls have been made and emails sent purporting to be from staff members of Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP or connected to the Crypto Fraud and Asset Recovery network (CFAAR) of which Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a founding member.

Recipients of these communications have been directed to a website 'cfaar.eu' which has no association with Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP and/or CFAAR. They were asked to log in and in some instances asked to make payments.

We are informed that one call was made by an individual claiming to be 'Simon Riley' of Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP. He offered to assist the individual with her crypto account in return for a fee to be paid into a bank account. We understand that they provided an email address of 'simonriley@cfaar.eu'.

The individual claiming to be Simon Riley emailed the person, including a link to the genuine Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP press release concerning CFAAR.

In other instances we understand that callers have provided copy driving licences to the members of the public to supposedly confirm their identity. We understand that those seen by Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP are for different people and are suspected to be either stolen or fake.

The SRA does not authorise and regulate a genuine solicitor called 'Simon Riley'. Any business of transaction carried out through the email address 'simonriley@cfaar.eu' is not undertaken by a solicitors' practice or an individual authorised and regulated by the SRA.

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm of solicitors called Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP, which can be contacted via its website www.rpc.co.uk/contact-us/.

The genuine firm has confirmed that neither the firm nor any of its solicitors or other employees have any genuine connection to the emails referred to in the alert above.

What should I do?

When a firm's or individual's identity has been copied exactly (or cloned), due diligence is necessary. If you receive correspondence claiming to be from the above firm(s) or individual(s), or information of a similar nature to that described, you should conduct your own due diligence by checking the authenticity of the correspondence by contacting the law firm directly by reliable and established means. You can contact the SRA to find out if individuals or firms are regulated and authorised by the SRA and verify an individual's or firm's practising details. Other verification methods, such as checking public records (e.g. telephone directories and company records) may be required in other circumstances.