Scammers use firm branding and staff photos
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has issued a warning after fake job advertisements were found circulating on Facebook using the name and branding of City law firm CMS.
The scam involves individuals working under the names “Sarah Erwin” and “Patti Britton” who falsely claim to recruit for CMS. Prospective applicants are then offered the opportunity to be put in touch with Amanda Lietz from CMS Legal Services EEIG, a CMS member firm that is not regulated by the SRA.
A notice published by the SRA states that the scammers have copied CMS’s official branding — including its logo and staff photos — from the firm’s website to make the posts appear credible. They also falsely claim the company is registered in California and regulated by the SRA.
The alert does not provide any details about the fake roles being advertised.
CMS confirmed that neither the firm or Amanda Lietz, a genuine employee, has any links to the job posts.
The regulators stresses that any communications from the email address CMSFIRM4@outlook.com are not connected to the genuine CMS firm or any SRA-authorised individuals.
The regulator advises anyone receiving suspicious communications claiming to be from CMS or its staff to carry out thorough due diligence, such as verifying contact details through official channels and checking the SRA’s register.
CMS’s legitimate email domain is @cms-cmno.com.