Alerts

Warning: Letter sent purporting to be from RSW Law Limited

18 December 2024

A letter has been sent to a Canadian law firm confirming instructions in relation to a share purchase arrangement.

What is the scam?

A letter has been sent to a Canadian law firm confirming instructions in relation to a share purchase arrangement purportedly from a genuine firm of solicitors (see below).

The letter is falsely signed off by a solicitor 'Marcus Allen'. The letter bears a corporate logo and provides the postal address, telephone, fax and email address for the genuine firm (see below). However, unlike the genuine firm's logo, the imitation logo is of white lettering on a blue background. The fake letter also does not include the genuine firm's legal details and references.

Any business or transaction with 'Marcus Allen' is not undertaken by a genuine firm or solicitor.

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm of solicitors called RSW Law Limited. The firm's head office is based at 33 Bedford Row, London, WC1R 4JH.

The genuine firm's telephone number is 020 3988 0170 and fax is 020 3004 1195. The firm's genuine email address is info@rswlaw.co.uk.

The SRA does not authorise or regulate a person called Marcus Allen. The genuine firm RSW Law Limited has confirmed that it does not employ anyone with the name of Marcus Allen, and that it does not have any connection to the letter referred to in the above alert.

What should I do?

When a firm's or individual's identity has been copied exactly (or cloned), due diligence is necessary. If you receive correspondence claiming to be from the above firm(s) or individual(s), or information of a similar nature to that described, you should conduct your own due diligence by checking the authenticity of the correspondence by contacting the law firm directly by reliable and established means. You can contact the SRA to find out if individuals or firms are regulated and authorised by the SRA and verify an individual's or firm's practising details. Other verification methods, such as checking public records (e.g. telephone directories and company records) may be required in other circumstances.