By: Richard Parsons
We have been made aware that members of the public are being contacted via the messaging app Telegram by individuals falsely claiming to work for Clarendon Law Solicitors.
The three names we have seen so far are Diana Lynn Diaz, Ivy Simons and Katelyn Brooke Simpson, the latter of whom is using a United States telephone number.
To be clear, no one by any of these names works, or has ever worked, at Clarendon Law Solicitors, and we have no knowledge of these individuals.
How the scam works
The scammers contact people claiming to be gathering information on victims of online fraud. They then state that “Clarendon Law Solicitors” will help to recover any losses free of charge.
Gladstow Ltd (SRA ID 666659) trading as Clarendon Law Solicitors is a genuine solicitors firm authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). We can confirm that Gladstow Ltd nor Clarendon Law Solicitors have any connection to these messages and this scam mentioned above.
What should I do?
Where the identity of a firm or individual has been copied exactly (known as “cloning”), it is essential to carry out your own due diligence. If you receive correspondence claiming to be from Clarendon Law Solicitors, Gladstow Ltd or any individual connected with us, or any message of a similar nature to that described above, please:
• Contact us directly to check whether the correspondence is genuine. Our official contact details can be found on our website. Do not use any contact details given in the message itself.
• Check with the SRA. You can contact the SRA to find out whether a firm or individual is regulated and authorised by them, and to verify their practising details. You can also search the SRA’s online register at sra.org.uk using our SRA ID, 666659.
• Use other verification methods where appropriate, such as checking public records (for example, telephone directories and Companies House records).
• Do not respond to unsolicited messages of this kind, do not click on any links they contain, and never share personal, financial or banking information or make any payment to someone who has contacted you unexpectedly.
• Report it. If you have been contacted, or believe you have been a victim, report it to Action Fraud (0300 123 2040 or actionfraud.police.uk), or to Police Scotland on 101 if you are in Scotland.
