Kevin Donoghue, solicitor director of Donoghue Solicitors, warns of a potential Facebook scam in which his image and details have been used.
Someone is trying to impersonate me on Facebook and Facebook Messenger.
A helpful lady called my office saying she had been contacted by “Sam Donohoe”. “He” (I don’t know for sure if it is a he, she, or a bot) said they represented a victim of a road traffic accident. “His” profile picture is one of mine taken from a blog post:
This is the Facebook profile of “Sam Donohoe”, who is wrongly using Kevin Donoghue’s image and details.
The lady asked “Sam” to prove who “he” was. “He” sent a link to my firm’s website.
I confirmed to the lady who called that:
- this approach was nothing to do with my firm
- “Sam Donohoe” was not me or anyone connected with my firm (even the name is spelt incorrectly)
- we would be taking steps to deal with this matter.
I immediately notified the authorities, including Facebook, the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and others. I have sent a “Cease and Desist” to “Sam Donohoe” too.
Thankfully, no harm came of this impersonation attempt. But it’s a fact of modern life that some people try to take advantage.
The public should know that we:
- NEVER contact potential clients “out of the blue” on Facebook messenger or other online apps
- are always happy to confirm our details by phone (0151 236 1336) or email (info@donoghue-solicitors.co.uk). These can be verified by checking the information provided on the SRA website.
- never just link to our website to prove our credentials.
I urge anyone who comes across potential scams like this one to contact the law firms involved. I am glad that the caller did.
Kevin Donoghue is the solicitor director of Donoghue Solicitors.