Scams round-up
Overview of scam activity
Our round up highlights the latest high-risk scams for both members of the public and solicitors.
We want to help people make well-informed choices about using legal services. As well as supporting solicitors to help keep their firm safe.
In the last three months, from September to November 2019, we have published 44 scam alerts. This is a decrease in the scam alerts that we published in the previous three months.
We have set out below a summary of the different platforms that have been used in these scams.
Recent scams
Inheritance/Entitlement to money
10 alerts in 3 months.
Examples include:
Correspondence from "Forsters Solicitors"
Correspondence from "Struattslaw UK LLP"
Emails from Brett Baughman regarding a supposed inheritance matter
Emails/Phishing/Malware
16 alerts in 3 months.
Emails misusing the name and details of Simpson Millar LLP
Emails misusing the name and details of Hanne & Co Solicitors LLP
Bogus websites
9 alerts in 3 months.
Examples include:
The website "danytylersolicitors-uk․com" is not a genuine firm
Website "www․maxwellalves․com" for "Maxwell Alves Law Firm"
Other
We have published 9 other alerts about other types of scam.
Examples include:
Telephone call misusing the name of Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP
Identity documents misusing the names of AMD Solicitors and Grant McCall
What you should do
Members of the public
- You should check any unexpected correspondence received is genuine (particularly correspondence asking you to provide personal information, funds or informing you of new bank details), by contacting the law firm directly by reliable and established means.
- You can contact us to find out if a solicitor or law firm are regulated and authorised by the SRA.
- You may also need to independently verify details, such as checking public records (e.g. telephone directories and company records) in some circumstances.
Solicitors and law firms
Here are some useful resources to help keep your firm safe.
- Read our priority risk on information security and bogus firms.
- Get practical help from our 'In the shadows: Risks associated with bogus firms' report.
- Our latest report on information security includes advice on how firms can keep cyber-secure.
Last updated: 11 December 2019 | Next update due: 11 March 2019