Alerts

Warning: Emails misusing the name of Jonathan Polin of Howard Kennedy LLP

2 February 2023

Emails have been sent from an individual purporting to be Jonathan Polin of Howard Kennedy LLP.

What is the scam?

The SRA has been advised that emails have been sent from an individual falsely claiming to be from Jonathan Polin, Lawyer in Merger and Acquisition at Howard Kennedy LLP. The emails were sent from the email address 'info@jopolin.com'.

An email seen by the SRA advises the recipient to 'provide the first down payment' for a supposedly new acquisition. The recipient is also invited to view an attachment.

The SRA has been advised that in another email the recipient is asked to transfer money to a Hong Kong bank account.

Any business or transaction through the email address 'info@jopolin.com' is not undertaken by a firm or individual authorised and regulated by the SRA.

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm called Howard Kennedy LLP. The SRA also regulates a genuine solicitor called Jonathan Polin who is a partner at Howard Kennedy LLP.

Genuine emails from Howard Kennedy LLP end with the domain name '@howardkennedy.com'.

The genuine firm of Howard Kennedy LLP and the genuine Jonathan Polin have both confirmed that they have no connection to the emails referred to in the above alert.

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.