Ensuring cybersecurity for our family law, will and probate, arbitration and mediation clients

Scammers are to be found everywhere, which is why we have cybersecurity and cyber crime awareness to protect our clients.

When engaging in family law, mediation, arbitration, FDRs or wills and probate matters, we make use of email and electronic communication to provide timely and efficient services. In this time of Covid-19, it becomes for necessary than ever to use forms of electronic communication rather than face-to-face meetings.

Sadly, scammers can use Covid-19 outbreak as a chance to trick you. Europol stated at the end of March that they expected cybercrime to increase due to the pandemic.

We hold client security and safety in high regard.

• We do not hold hold client accounts at this firm.
• Our bank account details will not change during the course of a transaction.
• Please be vigilant and ensure caution is exercised when opening any emails, attachments or links and when responding to any requests for your bank details.
• This Firm will NOT accept responsibility if you transfer money into an incorrect account.
• We require you to complete a client electronic communication consent form we helps set out how to minimise risks and what to be alert for.

It is the nature of the services we provide as family law practitioners that we hold sensitive data. We have a robust GDPR and Anti Money Laundering Policy to protect our clients. We minimise the data we need to hold, store it securely, do not share it with others unless it specified circumstances and require your consent before storing or processing data, or communicating with you electronically (email etc).

The Solicitor’s Regulatory Authority (SRA) state that the majority of recent scams fall into two categories:

• Firms receiving calls pretending to be banks to obtain sensitive information, such as account passwords
• Emails between firms and clients being intercepted, leading to client funds being paid into fraudsters’ account.

The SRA also states that criminals are using fears about Covid-19 in their phishing attempts.

• Some scams claim to have information about treatments for the disease.
• Others are disguised as charity communications seeking donations.
• Some impersonate official bodies, such as the UK government or the US Centre for Disease Control.

If you suspect a scam, do not click on any links in emails, provide any information or fill anything out online. If in doubt about a communication from us or any other company or business, use a trustworthy telephone number found on the company legitimate website to check. Do not use the number given from the suspicious call, text or website.

Nigel Clarke Direct Telephone: 01227 811740

Email: nigelclarke@familyresolution.co.uk

References: https://www.sra.org.uk/sra/news/press/2015/cybercrime-increasing-june-2015/ https://www.europol.europa.eu/newsroom/news/how-criminals-profit-covid-19-pandemic