Alerts

Warning: 'Crawley Family Lawyers Ltd' and the website 'grawley-family.com'

27 February 2024

WhatsApp messages with attached PDF documents have been sent, and a website at 'www.grawley-family.com' is operating, claiming to be 'Crawley Family Lawyers Ltd'.

What is the scam?

The SRA has been advised that WhatsApp messages, with attached PDF documents, have been sent from an individual using the name 'Pavel Kartsev', who is falsely claiming to be from 'Crawley Family Lawyers Ltd'.

The messages are in relation to the supposed return of money 'obtained from fraudsters'. The messages and PDF documents seen by the SRA are in Russian, but are understood to request signatures and payment details in order to have money returned.

The WhatsApp messages were sent using the number '+44 79848 76464'. One of the pdf documents appears to be 'stamped' with a 'stamp' for 'Crawley Family Lawyers Ltd', and also gives the name of a genuine solicitor (see below).

Furthermore, the website at 'www.grawley-family.com' is operating, claiming to be a company called 'Crawley Family Lawyers Ltd'. The website gives the address of a genuine firm of solicitors (see below), and also provides the email address 'info@grawley-family.com'.

The SRA does not authorise or regulate a company by the name of 'Crawley Family Lawyers Ltd', nor does it authorise or regulate a solicitor called 'Pavel Kartsev'.

Any communication or transaction through 'Crawley Family Lawyers Ltd', 'Pavel Kartsev', the number '+44 79848 76464', the website www.grawley-family.com or the email address 'info@grawley-family.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 a genuine solicitor called James Billingham who is a director at the genuine firm of solicitors called Horsham Family Lawyers Ltd. The address for the genuine Horsham Family Lawyers Ltd is 10 East Street, Horsham, England, RH12 1HL and its telephone number is 01403 255993. Its genuine email addresses end with the domain name '@horshamfamilylawyers.co.uk'.

The genuine firm Horsham Family Lawyers Ltd and the genuine solicitor James Billingham have confirmed that they do not have any connection to the WhatsApp messages, attached PDF documents or the website mentioned 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.