Alerts

Warning: Correspondence misusing the name of 'Gregory Smith'

12 May 2024

Correspondence has been sent misusing the name of 'Gregory Smith' in relation to a legal matter.

What is the scam?

Correspondence has been sent that falsely purports to have been prepared by 'Gregory Smith' an employee of Blockchain Legal Firm and which advises the recipient to complete a transfer on Kraken in order to release funds following the successful outcome of litigation. The correspondence seen by the SRA provides the email addresses 'customer_support@recovery-blockchain.com' and 'customer_support@message-kraken.com'.

The correspondence misuses the name and SRA ID of a genuine solicitor (see below).

The SRA does not authorise or regulate a firm called Blockchain Legal Firm.

Any business or transactions through 'Blockchain Legal Firm' or the email addresses 'customer_support@recovery-blockchain.com' and 'customer_support@message-kraken.com' 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 Gregory Smith, whose SRA ID is 280797.

The genuine solicitor Gregory Smith has confirmed that they have no genuine connection to either Blockchain Legal Firm or the correspondence 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.