Spam email | Internet Fraud

How to Spot a Bogus Solicitor or Inheritance Scam

We receive many enquiries from people who have been contacted by someone claiming to be a solicitor. The message may say that a distant relative has died and left them a large inheritance, that they are entitled to a substantial tax refund or that they have won a lottery they cannot remember entering. Some scams are easy to recognise, but criminals are becoming increasingly convincing. They may misuse the name, address, website, SRA number or identity of a genuine solicitor or law firm. They may also use professionally produced documents, copied photographs and convincing email signatures. The Solicitors Regulation Authority regularly publishes warnings about emails, websites, telephone calls and WhatsApp messages that misuse the details of genuine solicitors. Recent alerts have included fraudulent inheritance claims and requests for personal information or payments.

How the Scam Usually Works

Stage One: The Unexpected Approach

You receive an unsolicited email, letter, telephone call or WhatsApp message. The sender may claim to be dealing with:

• An inheritance from a distant relative;
• An unclaimed bank account or insurance policy;
• A lottery or competition win;
• A large tax refund;
• Money that must be transferred out of another country; or
• The recovery of money previously lost through another scam.

The amount involved will usually be large enough to attract your attention. Still, you will be told that you must act quickly or keep the matter confidential.

Stage Two: Creating an Appearance of Legitimacy

The fraudster may send copies of passports, death certificates, wills, court documents, bank statements or letters carrying the name of a genuine law firm. You may then be introduced to another supposed professional, such as a banker, tax adviser, government official or overseas lawyer. This person is usually part of the same criminal operation. Documents and identification supplied by the sender prove very little. They may have been stolen, altered or created using widely available technology.

Stage Three: Obtaining Your Details and Money

You may be asked to provide:

• A copy of your passport or driving licence;
• Your address and date of birth;
• Your bank account details;
• Your signature;
• Proof of address; or
• Information about your family.

The fraudster will then request a payment described as an administration charge, tax, legal fee, transfer fee, insurance premium or bank clearance fee. The first demand may be relatively small. Once it has been paid, further charges normally follow. There will always be another unexpected problem that requires another payment. The two things you can generally rely upon are that the requests for money will continue, and the promised inheritance, refund or prize will never arrive.

Warning Signs of a Scam

Be suspicious when:

• You are contacted unexpectedly about a large sum of money;
• You are told to act urgently or keep the matter secret;
• You are asked to pay money before receiving an inheritance, prize or refund;
• Payment is requested by cryptocurrency, money transfer service, gift card or into anindividual'ss bank account;
• The sender refuses to speak by video call or meet at a recognised office;
• The email address does not match the genuine law firm's website;
• The telephone number is a mobile number or differs from the number shown on official records;
• The message contains unusual grammar, spelling mistakes or inconsistent names;
• You are discouraged from contacting the law firm independently; or
• You are sent identification documents as supposed proof that the sender is genuine.

Poor spelling is no longer a reliable test. Modern scams can contain well-written text, convincing branding, copied signatures and realistic documents.

How to Check Whether a Solicitor Is Genuine

Do not use the telephone number, email address or website link contained in the suspicious message.

Search Official Records

Use the Law Society’s Find a Solicitor service to search for the solicitor and firm. This is a free service containing information about legal professionals and organisations in England and Wales regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Check:

• The solicitor's full name;
• The name and address of the firm;
• The firm's SRA number;
• The genuine website address;
• The official telephone number; and
• Whether the individual is shown as working at that firm.

Finding a genuine solicitor with the same name does not prove that the person contacting you is genuine. Criminals frequently impersonate real solicitors.

Contact the Firm Independently

Call the firm using the telephone number shown on the Law Society or SRA record. Ask to speak to the solicitor concerned and confirm whether the message, bank details and reference number are genuine. Never telephone the number contained in the original message merely to check whether the message is genuine.

Check the SRA Scam Alerts

The SRA publishes scam alerts about known bogus law firms, websites and communications that misuse the identities of genuine solicitors. You can also contact the SRA through the contact details published on its official website to confirm whether a solicitor or firm is authorised and regulated.

Bank Details and Payment Requests

A genuine email account can be compromised, so an email that appears to come from a solicitor may still contain fraudulent bank details. Before transferring money:

• Call the firm using an independently verified telephone number;
• Confirm the account name, sort code and account number verbally;
• Be particularly cautious if bank details have recently changed;
• Do not rely solely on an email confirming the change; and
• Consider sending a small test payment before transferring a large sum.

Solicitors and banks will not object to reasonable verification checks.

What to Do If You Have Responded

If you have supplied personal information, clicked a link or sent money:

• Contact your bank immediately using the number on your card or official banking app;
• Ask the bank to stop or recall the payment;
• Change any affected passwords and enable two-step verification;
• Do not send any further money;
• Keep the emails, messages, documents, telephone numbers and payment details as evidence;
• Report the matter to the genuine solicitor or law firm whose identity has been misused;
• Report the communication to the SRA; and
• Report the fraud to the police through Report Fraud.

If money is being taken, you feel threatened or the crime is happening at that moment, contact the police directly.

Ransomware and Malicious Attachments

A suspicious legal, inheritance or tax email may also contain a malicious attachment or link. Ransomware is a form of malware that can prevent you from accessing your computer and files, usually by encrypting them. The criminals then demand payment, often in cryptocurrency, in exchange for a supposed method to recover the data. They may also threaten to publish stolen information.

If You Suspect Ransomware

• Disconnect the affected computer from Wi-Fi, wired networks and external storage;
• Do not continue opening files or attachments;
• Do not connect backup drives to the infected device;
• Seek specialist IT or cyber-security assistance;
• Change important passwords from a separate, clean device; and
• Report the incident through Report Fraud.

Paying a ransom does not guarantee that files will be restored or deleted from the criminals' systems. Payment may also encourage further demands.

Reducing the Risk

• Keep operating systems, browsers and security software updated;
• Do not open unexpected attachments or enable macros;
• Check links before clicking them;
• Use strong, separate passwords and two-step verification;
• Keep regular backups; and
• Maintain at least one backup that is isolated from the computer or network.

The National Cyber Security Centre warns that ransomware can target connected backups as well as the original files. Backups should therefore be protected against alteration or deletion and periodically tested to make sure data can be restored.

Stop and Check Before Acting

A convincing name, professional-looking letter or genuine SRA number is not enough. Fraudsters may copy every detail from a legitimate solicitor and alter only the email address, telephone number or bank details. Take time to verify the person independently. Do not allow urgency, secrecy or the promise of a large payment to prevent you from carrying out proper checks. Above all, do not send money until you are certain who you are dealing with.