Alerts

Warning: Misuse of the identity of Jeffrey Cohen of Mackrell LLP

15 August 2025

Mackrell LLP has been in correspondence with us regarding someone misusing the name of Jeffrey Cohen and contacting members of the public in relation to being a beneficiary of a potential estate.

What is the scam?

The SRA has been informed that someone purporting to be a genuine solicitor (see below) has been corresponding with a member of the public about being a beneficiary of a potential estate.  

Initial contact with the member of the public was made by email, in which the author advised their name was 'Jeffery Cohen', and they were contacting with the necessary steps that the member of public needed to take for them to act as a representative.

The member of public had responded to the initial email advising for 'Jeffery Cohen' to email from their work email, however the author responded with their banking details and said they would arrange to provide the office details.

The emails were sent to the member of the public from the two different addresses 'jeffrey.cohen@mackrelllawfirm.com' and 'jefferycohen82@gmail.com'

Any business or transaction through this email address, telephone number, or website is not undertaken by a genuine firm or solicitor.

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine solicitor called Jeffrey Cohen. He works at a genuine firm of solicitors called Mackrell LLP (SRA ID 8011499), which is authorised and regulated by the SRA. His genuine SRA ID number is 132995. 

Mackrells LLP has confirmed that this was not sent by Jeffrey Cohen and the email it has been sent from is not Jeffrey's Mackrell email address.

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 (e.g. telephone directories and company records) may be required in other circumstances.