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 20 March to 19 June 2020, we have published 46 scam alerts. This is an increase 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
14 alerts in 3 months.
Examples include:
Emails and documents misusing the name and details of Stephensons Solicitors LLP
Letters from "Lambeth Solicitors"
Bogus websites
18 alerts in 3 months.
Examples include:
"Andrew Dallas LLP" and the website "www․andrewdallasllp․co․uk"
Website and correspondence misusing the name of Harding Evans LLP
Other
We have published 13 other alerts about other types of scam.
Examples include:
Unsolicited telephone calls claiming to be from "KT Construction Law"
Document misusing the name Andersons Solicitors
Telephone calls claiming to be from "Michael King" of "Oracle Legal Limited"
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: 19 June 2020 | Next update due: 19 September 2020