Fake law firm websites use real firms’ photos and info, but alter contact details
A smiling man in a business suit pictured on the Dovernor Chambers website in a wood-paneled office looks like a seasoned legal practitioner, and is.
However, he actually is a U.S. lawyer practicing in Kansas. The Dovernor Chambers firm—which purports to operate in the United Kingdom—is fake, and its website contains photos lifted from other law firm websites to create a convincing online presence to scam would-be legal clients, the Mirror reports.
Such schemes are common and increasing. The Solicitors Regulation Authority says it is identifying a new fake law firm on an almost daily basis. Some scammers reportedly are stealing a law firm’s entire Web page, then changing the contact information to redirect traffic elsewhere.
Although the Kansas lawyer’s photo appears to have been taken down from the Dovernor Chambers site, the fake firm’s website is still up and even provides a map to its nonexistent London office.
“The wording on the website dovernorchambers.com appears to have been cloned from the websites of genuine law firms without their knowledge or consent,” says a SRA consumer alert. It warns potential clients to check carefully that a purported law firm advertising on the Internet is legitimate before engaging the legal shop to handle any matter.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Reports: Fake Law Firm Site Targeting Lawyers in Real Estate Scam Uses Actual Law Firm Info, Photos”
ABAJournal.com: “State Bar of Texas Alert Says ‘Scam Artist’ Stole Nonpracticing Lawyer’s ID for Fake Website”
