Recently, a troubling trend has emerged where scammers are impersonating reputable law firms, pretending to be partners or representatives to defraud individuals and businesses. Their modus operandi involves targeting people with fake “legal notices” sent from email addresses that closely resemble legitimate ones, or through WhatsApp accounts using photos of the firm’s partners as display pictures. By employing these deceptive tactics, they falsely accuse individuals or businesses of violating their alleged clients’ intellectual property rights and pressure them into making payments to avoid supposed legal action.

When Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. found itself targeted by these scammers, they quickly took action, heading to the Delhi High Court to tackle the issue (Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. v John Doe & Ors.). The scammers had been sending out fake legal notices supposedly from a non-existent entity called “Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co. Law Firm.” They were using phony email addresses, bogus phone numbers, and even forged the likeness and signature of Dr. Shardul S. Shroff, the firm’s founder. The Court responded by issuing a John Doe order granting temporary injunction against the respondents, injuncting them from using the firm’s and its partner’s names.

Similarly, Anand & Anand found themselves in hot water when scammers started using their trademark and trading name ‘Anand & Anand’ in fraudulent emails trying to mislead the public by issuing unauthorized legal notices and other correspondence under their name. In response to this alarming situation, Anand & Anand took the matter to the Delhi High Court. The Court issued a temporary injunction against the scammers in the case of M/s. Anand and Anand v John Does & Ors. prohibiting them from using the firm’s trademarks, logos, or any other identifying elements that could cause confusion or be mistaken for Anand & Anand’s genuine identity. Essentially, the Court’s action aims to prevent these individuals from continuing their fraudulent activities and misrepresenting themselves as being associated with the firm.

Similarly, other firms like K&S Partners and Lall & Sethi have also fallen victim to this troubling trend of scams. In response to these incidents, the affected firms have all been on high alert. They’ve put out cautionary notices on their websites and social media pages, clearly stating that they will not be liable for any losses or issues that arise from interacting with these fraudulent emails.

As intellectual property becomes increasingly prevalent in the digital landscape, the likelihood of encountering such scams is growing. A significant factor contributing to this issue is the general lack of understanding about how intellectual property operates and is enforced. Many individuals focus primarily on protecting their intellectual property rights without fully grasping concepts like fair use or their actual rights. This gap in knowledge creates an opportunity for scammers to exploit misunderstandings and present their fraudulent claims as legitimate.

As scammers become increasingly sophisticated, it’s essential for law firms and the public alike to stay alert and thoroughly verify any legal correspondence they receive. Given that scammers are making use of technology to make their schemes look more convincing, it’s crucial not to take things at face value. To protect yourself, always double-check the source of any legal documents, verify contact information, and be on the lookout for red flags like unusual requests or inconsistencies.

Written By Adlin Mini M