Alerts

Warning: Emails misusing the name of Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited (trading as CEL Solicitors)

13 September 2024

Emails have been sent misusing the name of Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited (trading as CEL Solicitors)

What is the scam?

The SRA has been informed that emails have been sent to members of the public falsely purporting to be from a genuine firm of solicitors (see below).

False emails seen by the SRA have related to various issues, including the supposed recovery of funds for individuals who have previously been victims of other fraudulent schemes, for example involving cryptocurrency transactions (see also linked warnings).

A recent false email was sent from an individual called 'George Davies' using an email address of 'support@celsolicitors.email'. Another false email was from an individual called 'George Clarke' using an email address of 'george.clarke@celltd.uk'. This email also provides a telephone number of ‘+442037698319'.

Any business or transaction through the email addresses of 'support@celsolicitors.email' and 'george.clarke@celltd.uk' and the telephone number ‘+442037698319' are not undertaken by a genuine solicitor authorised or regulated by the SRA.

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm of solicitors called Cheshire Estate & Legal Limited, which trades as CEL Solicitors based at 12th Floor, 20 Chapel Street, Liverpool, L3 9AG. The genuine email domain used by the firm is @celsolicitors.co.uk. The firm's website address is www.celsolicitors.co.uk. The telephone number is 0151 909 8212.

Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited has confirmed that it does not have any connection to the emails or telephone number referred to in the above warning.

Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited does not employ staff member called 'George Davies' or 'George Clarke'.

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.

Related SRA scam alerts

More information

Update 19 September 2024

The SRA has been informed that further emails have been sent from an individual called 'Natalie Levinger' claiming to be a 'Client Appointment Coordinator' from CEL Solicitors in relaton to supposed 'RoyalCFD's'.

The emails were sent using an email address of 'info@celsolicitors.uk.com'.

Any business or transaction through the email address of 'info@celsolicitors.uk.com' is not undertaken by a genuine solicitor authorised or regulated by the SRA.

Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited has confirmed that it does not have any connection to the email above and does not employ a staff member called 'Natalie Levinger'.

Update 27 September 2024

The SRA has been informed that a further email has been sent from an individual called 'Mike Ross' claiming to be a 'Case Manager' from CEL Solicitors in relation to supposed recovery of funds.

The email was sent using an email address of 'celfinance@celfinance.com'. The email also provides a website at 'https://celsolicitors.eu.com/'. however, the website is not active.

The SRA has also been informed that another email was sent from an individual purporting to be 'Karen B' from 'The CEL Solicitors Team' in relation to a supposed 'cold crypto-currency wallet, registered under the recipient's name'.

This email was sent using an email address of 'celsolicitors@newclaims.info'. This email misuses the name of a genuine solicitor (see below)

Any business or transaction through the email addresses of 'celfinance@celfinance.com' and celsolicitors@newclaims.info' are not undertaken by a genuine solicitor authorised or regulated by the SRA.

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine solicitor called Karen Birch who is the Director of Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited.

Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited and Karen Birch have confirmed that they do not have any connection to the emails above and they do not employ a staff member called 'Mike Ross'.

Update 16 October 2024

Further emails have been sent purporting to be from Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited (CEL Solicitors).

The emails were sent from the following email addresses:

info@celsolicitors.site
TrevorWatsonCEL@proton.me
celsolicitors@supportcenter.cc
thomaskaiser@celfinance.com
oscar.elliot@celltd.uk

The emails referred to a cold crypto wallet, recovery of funds from investments and a Client Retainer Agreement for Fund Recovery Services purported to be drafted by an individual called 'Paul Hampson'.

Various documents were attached to the emails including identity cards for 'Trevor Watson' and 'Oscar Eliot' and a supposed Agreement, purportedly stamped by 'Cel Solicitors'.

The emails claimed that 'Beth Benson' is a 'Director of Compliance' at 'The Cel Solicitors Team', 'Thomas Kaiser' is from the 'Legal Department' and' Oscar Elliot' is a 'General Manager Professional'.

A postal address of '1388 Ward Road Port Chester NY 10573 USA', a telephone of number of '+442037698319', a mobile number of '+1(422) 854 7911' and email addresses of 'support@celfinance.com' and 'Oscar.eliot@celltd.uk' were also provided in the emails.

Any business or transaction through the email addresses and telephone numbers above are not undertaken by a genuine solicitor authorised or regulated by the SRA.

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine solicitor called Paul Hampson who is an employed at Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited.

Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited and Paul Hampson have confirmed that they do not have any connection to the emails and telephone numbers above.

Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited does not employ any staff members called 'Trevor Watson', 'Beth Benson', 'Thomas Kaiser' and 'Oscar Elliot'.