Alerts

Warning: Stamped document misusing the name 'Sutherland & Co Law Limited'

3 October 2024

A document purporting to be a property lease claims to have been prepared and stamped by 'Sutherland & Co Law Limited'. The signature purports to be of 'Caroline Sutherland'.

What is the scam?

An energy supplier has received a lease agreement that is falsely purporting to have been stamped and prepared by 'Sutherland & Co Law Limited. The address given is Richmond House, White Rose Way, South Yorkshire, DN4 5JH, England' The lease agreement falsely purports to have been signed by 'Caroline Sutherland' of 'Sutherland & Co Law Limited'.

The stamp provided misuses the name, address and SRA ID of a genuine firm of solicitors (see below). The document also misuses the signature of a genuine solicitor (see below).

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm of solicitors called 'Sutherland & Co Law Limited' trading as 'Sutherland & Co Law'. Its office address is Richmond House, White Rose Way, Doncaster, DN4 5JH and its SRA ID is 627624.

The SRA also authorises and regulates a genuine solicitor called Caroline Sutherland, who is the owner at the genuine firm Sutherland & Co Limited.

The genuine firm Sutherland & Co Law Limited has confirmed that neither it nor the genuine Caroline Sutherland have any connection to the stamped document 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.