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 July to September 2020, we have published 74 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
9 alerts in 3 months.
Examples include:
Emails misusing the name of Stephen Muscatt.
Email misusing the name of Russells Solicitors
Bogus Websites & Similar domain names to genuine firms
28 alert in 3 months.
Examples include:
Website for Waterstone Solicitor" and false bank details for Waterstone Solicitors
Website misusing the name of employees at Kingsley Napley LLP and of Bindmans LLP
Malware
5 alerts in 3 months.
Examples include:
Waterstone Solicitor and false bank details for Waterstone Solicitors
Emails claiming to be from Welstmark Solicitors LLP
Investment Scams and requesting funds
20 alerts in 3 months.
Examples include:
Waterstone Solicitor and false bank details for Waterstone Solicitors
Other
We have published 12 other alerts about other types of scam.
Examples include:
Unsolicited telephone calls claiming to be from Clarke Willmott LLP
Documents falsely claiming to be misusing the name Andersons Solicitors
Documents signed and stamped by Mr Hussien Ahmed, misusing an SRA registration number
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: 29 October 2020 | Next update due: 29 January 2020