The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have issued eight separate email scam alerts impersonating law firms in a matter of days.
All eight scams were reported on 5th, 6th and 7th October where emails had been falsely claiming to be from a law firm or an individual working for the business – with four of them on one day.
Three out of eight fraudulent attempts targeted professional employees at the firms, namely A & N Care Solicitors Limited, Druces LLP and Kingsley Napley. While, the other five are potentially misusing the name of a genuine firm of solicitors and try to con unsuspecting members of the public by pretending to be from the firm of solicitors.
Emails have been sent misusing the name of an employee of A & N Care Solicitors Limited, a genuine firm of solicitors, falsely claiming to be from “Charlotte Worthy” who is also a genuine employee.The email is headed “URGENT/Private & Confidential” and asks the recipient to click on a link to review documents which the SRA were concerned that the link may contain malware if opened.
Another scam alert is correspondence from email addresses ending “blakemorgans․co․uk” potentially misusing the name of Blake Morgan LLP. The SRA were informed that correspondence may have been sent from an email account ending with the domain name “@blakemorgans.co.uk”, potentially misusing the name of a genuine firm of solicitors.
Furthermore, correspondence has been sent misusing the name of a partner of Druces LLP, from an email address ending “driuces.com”. It is understood the emails appear to be sent from “s.ronaldson@driuces.com” falsely claiming to be from “Stephen Ronaldson” of Druces LLP enquiring about a payment.
The SRA advised that correspondence from email addresses ending “kiddspoorlaws․co․uk” have been sent potentially misusing the name of a genuine firm of solicitors, Kidd & Spoor Solicitors Limited.
Also, SRA stated that a document has been signed and stamped claiming to be from Woodgrange Solicitors LLP. The SRA has been informed that a document, which appears to be a copy of a passport belonging to a Mr Wilkins, has supposedly been certified by an individual claiming to be a genuine solicitor. The stamp misuses the name, address and signature of a genuine firm of solicitors and practitioner.
The SRA disclosed of another alert whereby emails have been sent falsely to a member of the public claiming to be from a Senior Associate, Simon Hardy at “Kingsley Napley”, in relation to a supposed inheritance.
Furthermore, correspondence from email addresses ending “jpgolcman․co․uk” potentially misusing the name JP Goldman Limited.
And lastly, the SRA have been informed a website, “www.abrahamnapley.com” has been operating for “Abraham Napley & Associates” claiming to be a “law firm in London”. The website provides an address of “81 Chancery Lane London WC2A 1DD”, a telephone number of “+44 778 468 2174” and an email address of “info@abrahamnapley.com”. The website misuses the name of several genuine solicitors and states that “Amy Lindley” is a solicitor at “Abraham Napley & Associates”.