Alerts
Warning: Website ‘George Margo & Co LLP’ claiming to be solicitors authorised and regulated by the SRA
26 April 2023
The website 'www.georgemargo.com' is falsely claiming to belong to a firm authorised and regulated by the SRA.
What is the scam?
The website 'www.georgemargo.com' is operating falsely claiming to be solicitors authorised and regulated by the SRA.
The website seen by the SRA claims that its Attorneys 'Keith Robinson, 'Joyce Morrison', 'Maura Owen', 'Richard Hill', 'Robert Gay', 'John Richard', 'Annie Nolan' and 'David Walters' are lawyers at 'George Margo & Co LLP'.
The website provides two postal addresses of '35-37 Hanbury Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 3AE' and 'Spurgeon Close, Grays, Essex RM17 6DD'. The website also provides the email address of 'info@georgemargo.com' and the telephone number '+44 7436 317 580'.
The SRA does not authorise and regulate firm of solicitors called 'George Margo & Co LLP', nor does the SRA authorise and regulate solicitors called 'Joyce Morrison', 'Maura Owen', 'Annie Nolan' or 'John Richard' (see below genuine solicitors with similar names).
The website misuses the name of several genuine solicitors (see below).
A member of the public has also received a document in relation to a supposed unclaimed inheritance of an individual with the same surname as the recipient. The document was purportedly signed by an individual called 'George Margo' claiming to be a 'Barrister' linked to 'George Margo & Co LLP'.
The SRA understands that the recipient of the document was provided with a supposed invoice and asked to discharge the outstanding amount of the invoice in order to access the supposed inheritance.
Any business or transaction through a firm called ‘George Margo & Co LLP’ is not undertaken by a solicitors' practice or individual authorised and regulated by the SRA.
Is there a genuine firm or person?
The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine solicitor called Robert Gay, who has confirmed that he does not have any connection to the website above.
The SRA authorises and regulates a number of genuine solicitors called David Walters, Richard Hill and John Richards.
It is believed none of the genuine solicitors David Walters, Richard Hill and John Richards are believed to have any connection to the website 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 (eg. telephone directories and company records) may be required in other circumstances.