Regulator confirms fake email misused solicitor’s identity in fraud recovery offer
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has issued a warning after an email was sent to a member of the public misusing the name of a genuine solicitor in connection with a purported financial fraud recovery service.
The alert, published on 12 February 2026, concerns correspondence sent in the name of Natacha Heffinck, a solicitor authorised and regulated by the SRA. The regulator confirmed that the genuine solicitor is not believed to be connected to the email or the documentation referred to in the warning.
According to the SRA, the email advised the recipient to review an attached document described as a “client care contract”. The document reportedly offered to investigate and potentially recover funds said to be linked to a financial fraud case involving the recipient.
The email seen by the SRA was sent from the address “natacha.f@solicitorservices.org”.
The regulator has made clear that any business or transactions conducted through that email address are not undertaken by a firm or individual authorised and regulated by the SRA.
The SRA confirmed that it authorises and regulates a solicitor named Natacha Heffinck, whose SRA number is 459488. However, the regulator stated that the genuine solicitor is not thought to have any connection with the email address or the document described in the alert.
The warning highlights the risk of identity misuse, sometimes referred to as “cloning”, where the name of a genuine solicitor or firm is used without authorisation in order to lend credibility to unsolicited communications.
The SRA advises members of the public who receive correspondence claiming to be from the solicitor named in the alert, or similar communications of this nature, to carry out appropriate due diligence. Recipients should verify the authenticity of the correspondence by contacting the genuine law firm directly using reliable and established contact details, rather than those provided in the suspicious message.
Members of the public may also contact the SRA to confirm whether a solicitor or firm is authorised and regulated, and to verify practising details. In certain circumstances, additional checks may be required, including consulting public records such as telephone directories or company registration information.
The regulator reiterates that the email address identified in the alert is not connected to an authorised or regulated individual or firm.