Fraud Alerts

As a global Firm, Ashurst has been made aware of instances where our name has been used in fraudulent scam emails.

As soon as we become aware of such an occurrence, we will endeavour to raise awareness of this illegal activity on our Fraud Alerts page.

If you receive a communication which purports to be from Ashurst and are unsure as to its authenticity, please contact compliance.team@ashurst.com or your usual contact at Ashurst.

Regrettably we cannot directly prevent these emails or other communications from occurring in instances where they do not originate from or pass through Ashurst systems. We will however undertake all reasonable steps to identify those responsible and will report such scams to our regulatory authorities.

September 2024

We have been made aware of an individual holding themselves out as an Ashurst representative, and sending purported copyright infringement notices via email correspondence.

The email is not genuine, and does not come from any person or entity within the Ashurst group. The use of the Ashurst name and branding is unauthorised.

Should you receive an unexpected email or other contact purporting to be from Ashurst that requests or demands payment of compensation or other legal action, then we suggest that you contact us using contact information obtained from the Ashurst website, or email compliance.team@ashurst.com, to confirm whether the correspondence is genuine.

Please do not respond using any website links or contact details stated on the email (or take other action in response), before obtaining such confirmation from Ashurst directly.

If you consider yourself to be a victim of a fraudulent act, as a consequence of engaging with the purported sender of such emails, please contact the Police directly.

August 2024

We have been made aware of an individual who appears to have committed identity fraud of another person in North America. We understand that this individual, by using the identity of another, has been falsely representing that he is in receipt of funds following the settlement of litigation in Australia and has been seeking a "trustee" to hold those funds. As part of an attempted fraud, the individual has also held himself/herself out as Angela Pearsall, one of our partners based in Melbourne. By using the email address angelapearsall@ashurstsolicitors.com, the individual has offered Angela's legal services in respect of setting up the trust arrangements to hold the fictitious settlement funds.

The email is not genuine, and the use of the Ashurst name and branding is unauthorised. The email does not come from Angela Pearsall, Ashurst Australia or any entity in the Ashurst group.

Should you receive an unexpected email from the above email address or otherwise one purporting to be from Ashurst that requests personal information, then we suggest that you contact us using contact information obtained from the Ashurst website, or email compliance.team@ashurst.com, to confirm whether the email is genuine. Please do not respond using any contact details stated on the email, provide personal information or make a payment to any bank account mentioned within such an email, before obtaining such confirmation from Ashurst directly. If you consider yourself to be a victim of a fraudulent act, as a consequence of making a payment/otherwise engaging with the purported sender of such an email, please contact the Police directly.

June 2024

We have been made aware of an individual holding himself/herself out as Steven Blackburn, one of our Ashurst Risk Advisory partners based in Melbourne, sending a letter to someone requesting money be paid to a bank account in connection with a purported debt.

The letter is not genuine, and the use of the Ashurst name and branding is unauthorised. The letter does not come from Steven Blackburn, Ashurst Risk Advisory or any entity in the Ashurst group.

Should you receive an unexpected letter on an Ashurst letterhead or otherwise purporting to be from Ashurst that requests or demands a payment, then we suggest that you contact us using contact information obtained from the Ashurst website, or email compliance.team@ashurst.com, to confirm whether the letter is genuine. Please do not respond using any contact details stated on the letter, or make a payment to any bank account mentioned within such a letter, before obtaining such confirmation from Ashurst directly. If you consider yourself to be a victim of a fraudulent act, as consequence of making a payment/otherwise engaging with the purported sender of such a letter, please contact the Police directly.

November 2023

Singapore

Further to the incident mentioned in September 2023, concerning the Singapore office (below), we have made aware of an additional instance of someone purporting to be an Ashurst employee in Singapore. That individual has set up a fake Instagram profile with the name "Ashurst Law Firm". Using that profile, contact has been made with other Instagram users in Singapore as if legal services were then about to be offered to them.

This has been referred to the Law Society of Singapore and the Singapore Police Force. It is also being referred to Instagram, in order to take down the fake profile.

The profile "Ashurst Law Firm" on Instagram is not connected with Ashurst LLP or any Ashurst group company/firm. Information about Ashurst partners and staff can be found in the People & Locations page of this website.

If you have been contacted by the profile "Ashurst Law Firm" on Instagram, please contact compliance.team@ashurst.com and refrain from engaging further on Instagram. We reserve the right to pass on any relevant information to the Law Society of Singapore and the Singapore Police Force to assist with their enquiries.

 

September 2023

Singapore

We have been made aware that an individual is holding herself out as an Ashurst employee in Singapore. That individual has set up a fake Facebook page with the English name "Nightwar dance" that refers to "Ashurst Law Firm". We understand that a fake website (nzsklegal.com/cn) and email address (hdhdhdh@hotmail.com) have also been linked from that page.

This matter is being referred to the Law Society of Singapore and the Singapore Police Force.

The individual is not connected with Ashurst LLP or any Ashurst group company/firm. Information about Ashurst partners and staff can be found in the People & Locations page of this website.

If you have been approached by the individual, please contact compliance.team@ashurst.com and refrain from engaging further with her. We reserve the right to pass on any relevant information to the Law Society of Singapore and the Singapore Police Force to assist with their enquiries.

 

Hong Kong

We have been made aware that individuals are holding themselves out as Ashurst employees in Hong Kong. One of the individuals has been showing a forged Ashurst business card (showing the name 溫浩明 / Wen Haoming, telephone number +852 6379 9781 and email address yasite@gmail.com). We are also aware that a fake website and Facebook pages (which includes a reference to an email address: dezarion1@gmail.com) have been set up that refers to that person, and another (劉律師 / Lawyer Lau) and their assertion that they are connected with Ashurst.

This matter is being referred to the Law Society of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Police Force.

The individuals, the fake website and Facebook page are not connected with Ashurst Hong Kong or any Ashurst group company/firm. Information about Ashurst partners and staff can be found in the People & Locations page of this website.

If you have been approached by the individuals, please contact compliance.team@ashurst.com and refrain from engaging further with them. We reserve the right to pass on any relevant information to the Law Society of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Police Force to assist with their enquiries. Anyone who considers they may be a victim of fraudulent acts should contact the Police, directly.

 

September 2022

We have been made aware of an email purporting to relate to an arbitration matter involving one of our London partners, Matthew Saunders.

The email and its attached documents request that a payment should be made. These are not genuine, and do not relate to an arbitration that involved Matthew Saunders.

The sender of the email used the address: af.supportoffice@proton.me

The email/documents do not come from Matthew Saunders or from Ashurst LLP or any other Ashurst group company. In the event that you are contacted by that email address, we recommend that you permanently delete the email and refrain from engaging with the sender in any way.

 

August 2022

Fraudulent emails

We have been made aware of the continued receipt of emails purporting to be from one of our London partners, Rob Aird.

Fraudulent parties may also impersonate financial institutions such as banks or wealth management companies as part of the scam.

The email addresses used by the fraudulent party include (but are not limited to):

• reededward45[@]gmail[.]com
• rob.aird[at]zohomail.com
• private.email0090[@]gmail[.]com; and

These emails suggest that the recipient has been identified as a close relative of an individual who has passed away for whom Rob Aird purportedly acts.

The emails request the recipient contacts Rob Aird as soon as possible and may ask the recipient for documentation or other personal information.

These emails do not come from Rob Aird or from Ashurst LLP or any other Ashurst group company.

We advise you to permanently delete the email and refrain from engaging with the sender in any way. If there are links links or attachments contained within the email, please do not click on them.

 

July 2022

We are aware of fraudulent messages being sent to individuals who are selling goods on online selling platforms. The messages are purporting to threaten legal action by "Ashurt Lawyers Australia" unless the individual ceases and desists in selling the goods.

These messages are not from our firm and we have no association with the sender of these messages.

Please see below examples of the format of these messages and language used by the fraudster:
We advise you to not respond to the message.

January 2022

We are aware of fraudulent emails being sent to individuals from the email address reededward45[@]gmail[.]com, rob.aird[at]zohomail.com or private.email0090[@]gmail[.]com purporting to be from one of our London partners, Rob Aird.

These emails suggest that the recipient has been identified as a close relative of an individual who has passed away for whom Rob Aird purportedly acts. The emails request the recipient contacts Rob Aird as soon as possible.

These emails do not come from Rob Aird or from Ashurst LLP or any other Ashurst group company.

We advise you to permanently delete the email and refrain from engaging with the sender in any way. If there are links contained within the email, please do not click on them.

Please see below for an example of the format of these emails and language used by the fraudster: