Alerts

Warning: Document misusing the name of HFT Gough & Co Limited

15 December 2023

Letters purporting to confirm a property transaction have been sent misusing the name of HFT Gough & Co Limited.

What is the scam?

Two letters have been produced misusing the name of a genuine firm.

The SRA has seen two letters regarding a purchase of a property which misuse the name, SRA number, company number and contact details of a genuine firm. The letters claim to relate to a completion statement for a property and bear the purported letterhead of a firm.

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm called HFT Gough & Co Ltd which has a head office at 38-42 Lowther Street, Whitehaven, CA28 7JU. Its phone number is 01946 692 461.

The genuine firm of HFT Gough & Co Ltd has confirmed that it has no genuine and intended connection to the letters referred to in the 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.