Alerts

Warning: Emails falsely claiming to be from Sarah Martin of Hegarty LLP

19 July 2024

Emails have been sent falsely claiming to be from Sarah Martin of Hegarty LLP.

What is the scam?

The SRA has been advised that emails have been sent falsely claiming to be from a lawyer and her assistant from a genuine firm of solicitors (see below).

The emails were sent from the email addresses 'sarah.martin@hegarty.c0-uk.net' and 'mia.green@hegarty.c0-uk.net' and provided account details with Clearbank Limited which did not belong to the genuine firm.

Any business or transactions through 'sarah.martin@hegarty.c0-uk.net' and 'mia.green@hegarty.c0-uk.net' are not undertaken by a firm or individual authorised and regulated by the SRA.  The firm also does not have an account with Clearbank Limited.

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm of solicitors called Hegarty LLP. Its email domain is '@hegarty.co.uk'.

Sarah Martin is a Partner at Hegarty LLP. Her genuine email address is sarah.martin@hegarty.co.uk. Mia Green is also employed by the firm as an assistant and her genuine email address is mia.green@hegarty.co.uk.

The genuine firm of Hegarty LLP has confirmed that neither it nor the genuine Sarah Martin or Mia Green have any genuine or intended connection to the emails 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.