Alerts

Warning: A bogus letter is falsely claiming to be from Ola Leslie Solicitors LLP, regarding the acquisition of a property

29 October 2026

A letter has been sent regarding the purchase of a property, falsely claiming to be from 'Estelle Darcy' of Ola Leslie Solicitors LLP.

What is the scam?

The SRA has been informed that a letter has been sent addressed to a third party in relation to the proposed purchase of a property, falsely claiming to be from a genuine firm of solicitors (see details below).

The letter seen by the SRA claims that the genuine firm of solicitors (see details below) is acting for a client.

In the letterhead of the bogus letter seen by the SRA, it includes the firm's name and logo in the top left corner (similar to the style of the firm's genuine logo) and provides the address of the genuine firm of solicitors (see details below) toward the top right of the letterhead. The email address 'info@olaleslieoflondon.com' and telephone number '0207 1830062' are also provided, neither of which are genuine contact details for the firm (see correct contact details below).

The letter is signed off by 'Estelle Darcy' who claims to be a solicitor representing the genuine firm of solicitors (see details below).

The SRA does not authorise or regulate any individual with the name 'Estelle Darcy'.

Any business or transaction using the above-described letter, email address, telephone number or letterhead, is not undertaken by a firm or solicitor authorised and regulated by the SRA.

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm of solicitors called Ola Leslie Solicitors LLP (SRA ID: 658016) whose address is 10 Whitehorse Mews, 37 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7QD. The genuine email domain of the genuine firm is @olaleslie.com and the telephone number of the genuine firm is 02071830084.

Ola Leslie Solicitors LLP has confirmed that it does not employ any individual named 'Estelle Darcy' and it does not have any connection to the correspondence and contact details 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.