Alerts

Warning: Emails misusing the names of Sophie McKelvey and Irwin Mitchell LLP

17 September 2023

Emails have been sent misusing the name ‘Sophie McKelvey’ and ‘Irwin Mitchell LLP’ regarding a supposed unpaid invoice.

What is the scam?

Emails have been sent purporting to be from Sophie McKelvey regarding a supposed unpaid invoice.

An email seen by the SRA appears to have been sent from the email address: 'sophie.mckelvey@irwinnmitchell.com'. The email misuses the name of a genuine solicitor, and some also misuses the name of a genuine firm of solicitors and the firm's genuine office address (see below).

Any business or transactions through the email address sophie.mckelvey@irwinnmitchell.com are not undertaken by an authorised solicitor's practice or by 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 Irwin Mitchell LLP (SRA number 570654), which has a head office at Riverside East, 2 Millsands, Sheffield, S3 8DT, England.

The SRA also authorises and regulates a genuine solicitor named Sophie McKelvey (SRA number 478993), who is a solicitor at Irwin Mitchell LLP. Her genuine email address is sophie.mckelvey@irwinmitchell.com

Irwin Mitchell LLP and the genuine Sophie McKelvey have confirmed 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 (e.g. telephone directories and company records) may be required in other circumstances.

More information

Upate 10 October 2023

Emails continue to be sent misusing the name 'Sophie McKelvey' and 'Irwin Mitchell LLP'.

The SRA has been informed that a new fraudulent email address is being used @irwinmiitchell.com

Any business or transactions via the email address @irwinmiitchell.com are not undertaken by an authorised solicitor's practice or by an individual authorised and regulated by the SRA.