Alerts

Warning: Documents claiming to be from 'Charlie Seaward'

16 May 2023

Documents have been sent to a member of the public from a company named 'My Chargeback' claiming that a 'Charlie Seaward' is a party to a supposed agreement in relation to debt collection.

What is the scam?

The SRA has been advised that documents have been sent to a member of the public claiming that a 'Charlie Seaward' is a party to a supposed agreement relating to debt collection (see below details of a genuine solicitor). The documents seen by the SRA are called 'Document of Legal Representation and Delegate'.

It appears as 'Charlie Seaward' is the lawyer for a company specialising in debt collection.

The document provides an address stated as 'Chenies House, 21 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3HH'.

Any business or transactions through 'My Chargeback Ltd' at the above address are 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 solicitor called Charles Seaward.

The genuine Charles Seaward has confirmed that he has no connection to the documents 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.