Alerts
Warning: 'UK Immigration Lawyers'/'Work Permit UK Visa Bureau Unit' claiming to be a law firm
31 October 2022
The website at 'www.workpermit-ukvisas.com' is operating claiming to be for a law firm called 'UK Immigration Lawyers'/'Work Permit UK Visa Bureau Unit'.
What is the scam?
The website at 'www.workpermit-ukvisas.com' is operating claiming to be for a law firm called 'UK Immigration Lawyers'/'Work Permit UK Visa Bureau Unit'.
The website provides a postal address of '2 Marsham Street City of London SW1P 4DF', a telephone number of '0203 286 0857' and an email address of 'contact@workpermit-ukvisas.com'.
The SRA does not authorise and regulate a firm of solicitors called 'UK Immigration Lawyers'/'Work Permit UK Visa Bureau Unit'.
The website states that it is an 'immigration division' of a genuine firm of solicitors (see below).
The SRA understands that the above website has been referred to unsuspecting individuals to obtain a work permit for a supposed employment at an oil and gas company.
Any business or transaction through 'UK Immigration Lawyers'/'Work Permit UK Visa Bureau Unit', or the above contact details above, are not undertaken by a firm or individual authorised and regulated by the SRA.
Is there a genuine firm or person?
The SRA authorises and regulates a firm of solicitors called LexLaw Limited based at 4 Middle Temple Lane, Middle Temple, London EC4Y 9AA. The telephone number is 0207 1830 529 and the email domain ends with @lexlaw.co.uk.
The genuine firm LexLaw Limited has confirmed it does not have any connection with the website 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 (eg. telephone directories and company records) may be required in other circumstances.
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More information
Update 2 March 2023
The SRA has been informed that the website at www.workpermit-visa.uk, is now actively operating in relation to targeting other unsuspecting individuals to obtain a work permit for a supposed employment at an oil and gas company.
The website provides the above contact details. However the individual was also provided with a contact name of 'Ryan Brown' and an email address of 'ryanbrown@workpermit-visa.uk'