SRA warns public after scam email impersonates solicitor in fake inheritance claim
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has issued a warning after identifying a scam email that falsely claims to be from a solicitor named Simon Stevenson in relation to a will and estate matter.
According to the regulator, the email was sent to a member of the public and purported to come from “Simon Stevenson”. The message claimed that the sender was acting on behalf of a deceased client who had deposited family valuables, including gold stored in trunk boxes.
The email stated that the valuables could be transferred to the recipient but only after certain payments were made. The sender requested payment for an affidavit to change ownership of the items and an additional fee for shipment so the valuables could be delivered.
The regulator said the email was sent from simonstevenson1515@protonmail.com. It also included the postal address 47 Holborn Viaduct, London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom, along with the telephone number +1 209 208 8814.
However, the regulator confirmed that any business or transaction carried out through the above email address, postal address or telephone number is not undertaken by a firm or individual authorised or regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
The regulator confirmed that there is a genuine solicitor named Simon Stevenson who is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The solicitor’s regulatory identification number is 25361.
The genuine solicitor has confirmed that they have no connection with the email referenced in the alert.
The warning forms part of the regulator’s ongoing efforts to alert the public to scams involving the misuse of solicitors’ identities. In such cases, individuals impersonate legal professionals in an attempt to gain trust and persuade recipients to send money.
The regulator advised that where a firm’s or individual’s identity appears to have been copied or “cloned”, recipients should carry out their own due diligence before responding to any correspondence.
This includes verifying the authenticity of the communication by contacting the law firm directly using reliable and established contact details rather than those provided in the suspicious message.
Members of the public can also contact the regulator to confirm whether an individual or firm is authorised and regulated. Checking public records, including company listings and telephone directories, may also assist in verifying the legitimacy of communications in certain circumstances.