Search:     Go  
The Spanish Lawyer Online
The Spanish Lawyer Online

Spanish Law Tribune

Keeping up-to-date with Spanish Law
Home > Litigation > Careful with Scammers Posing as Spanish Lawyers

Careful with Scammers Posing as Spanish Lawyers

March 18th, 2009

who is this businessmanWithin the last year we’ve seen an alarming increase in the number of queries regarding the legitimacy of certain Spanish law firms and lawyers. These companies are in fact non-existent and act only as shelter companies devised to fleece foreigners offering them dubious legal services often related to some murky financial interest, which is in the end nothing but some sort of advance fee fraud (http://en NULL.wikipedia NULL.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud). Foreigners should be well advised that these scammers pass themselves off as legitimate Spanish law firms and lawyers. They prey exclusively on foreigners and are in fact not even Spanish themselves. Their command of English is very good.

Spanish lawyers belong to one of the numerous Bar Associations that sprawl throughout Spain. There are a total of 83. Every lawyer member of a BA will have a registered number. It is very easy to check in less than a minute if a Spanish lawyer is legitimate, providing he is in fact registered of course.

These fraudsters will always contact you to offer legal assistance in some service of which you by chance are the sole lucky beneficiary. The potential reward to reap is huge (hundreds of thousands if not millions) in exchange of a reasonable legal fee which in comparison doesn’t seem like much. The preffered contact method is email (which they may follow up by ordinary post), and they will offer you either of the following legal “services”:

  1. Letting you know that after a long and winding investigation it has surfaced that you are the sole live beneficiary of a considerable Spanish inheritance from some distant relative you had in Spain (unbeknown to you) that has sadly passed away.
  2. Offering you to join group actions to recover deposits from bogus resale time share companies in ongoing court proceedings (Reclaim Certificates (http://www NULL.thisismoney NULL.co NULL.uk/news/columnists/article NULL.html?in_article_id=401923&in_page_id=19&in_author_id=5)).
  3. Notifying you that you have won the Spanish Lottery (despite never having played it) or that you have been selected in a random draw and are now the lucky beneficiary of a special promotion from the generous Spanish Lotto Administration.
  4. Contacting you regarding using your bank account, in exchange of a sizeable commission, for some million dollar bank transfer with origin in some dodgy place in Africa. This is known as the Nigerian Letters.
  5. Offer to assist you in the verification and payment of unclaimed funds located in Spain of which you happen to be the only beneficiary.

An example of enquiries about such bogus firms are the following:

  • Martinez e Beneficio (http://www NULL.marbella-lawyers NULL.com/forums/showthread NULL.php?t=117)
  • Alberto Ganez Y Socio (http://www NULL.marbella-lawyers NULL.com/forums/showthread NULL.php?t=155)
  • Perez, Gonzalez and Associates (http://www NULL.marbella-lawyers NULL.com/forums/showthread NULL.php?t=97) & Perez, Carrera and Associates (http://www NULL.marbella-lawyers NULL.com/forums/showthread NULL.php?t=97)

Our recommendation, as always, is to never ever pay moneys upfront if you have the slightest suspicion about the legitimicay of the people you are dealing with.

We have compiled a list of bogus law firms (http://www NULL.marbella-lawyers NULL.com/forums/showthread NULL.php?t=382)which is continously updated.

 
Other interesting related links:

  • Protecting Yourself from Pyramid or “Ponzi” Schemes – 21st February 2009
  • Fraudulent sell of shares from Spain – Boiler rooms (http://www NULL.fsa NULL.gov NULL.uk/pages/Doing/Regulated/Law/Alerts/overseas NULL.shtml) UK FSA’s link.
  • Timeshare resellers: Be careful! (http://www NULL.marbella-lawyers NULL.com/articles/showArticle/timeshare-reselling-scam) – 23rd of August 2001
  • Lottery Fraud: Yet Another Scam (http://www NULL.marbella-lawyers NULL.com/articles/showArticle/gordo-sweepstakes-scam) – 24th September 2001
  • Is the ‘El Gordo Lottery Sweepstake Company’ a genuine company? (http://www NULL.marbella-lawyers NULL.com/questions/showQuestion/133-Is-the-%27El-Gordo-Lottery-Sweepstake-Company%27-a-genuine--company-)
  • European Mediation Limited (http://www NULL.marbella-lawyers NULL.com/forums/showthread NULL.php?t=77)
  • Bogus Holiday Club Membership (mostly in Canaries) (http://www NULL.marbella-lawyers NULL.com/forums/showthread NULL.php?t=365)

Litigation , ,

  1. BWM
    May 13th, 2009 at 18:32 | #1

    Add the law firm “Paul Iglesias & Asociados” to your list. I received a letter in the mail today from them at my home in Oregon, USA offering me a large inheritance from a distant relative of mine who was killed with his entire family in a horrible car crash.
    I’ve gotten many of these emails, but never have I had someone take the time to send me something in the mail! They even signed it!

  2. July 22nd, 2009 at 21:41 | #2

    I’ve also received a lot of these emails, mainly from Nigeria, and about a month ago I received a letter from them in the mail at my home in South Africa. Also offering me a large inheritance, but from someone asking if I would pose as a relative for a family that died in a car crash and that they will cover all the paperwork. I don’t know how they get these addresses. Be careful.

  3. Warren
    August 15th, 2009 at 22:37 | #3

    Hermann Cruzado & Associates is another one.

    I reported this to Google (the only search engine featuring them) but still posted.

    I nearly fell for this ie wasted a call (to their mobile) but I think they have figured out I rumbled them because the ‘Bank’ hasn’t called me back.

    The Spanish cops should trace / monitor / shut down their mobile.

  4. bryan greenway
    October 24th, 2009 at 12:45 | #4

    marques carrillo & associates , Bilbao….having read elsewhere I see they are on your ‘scam and ban ‘ list already. € 865,320.10 in winnings via Mapfre Investments…. Letter dated 29-09-09 and sent with Portugese stamp….to my address in Switzerland. Have had previous leter from them to previous address in U.K…

  5. patricia
    March 26th, 2010 at 11:30 | #5

    Add Geraldo Flind Esq posing as a barrister in Madrid. He sent a signed and stamped letter which I received today 25th March 2010, saying that I was possibly a beneficiary to a large sum of money if I could prove I was related to the named person. I called the mobile number and when he asked me to visit in Spain and I said no he asked for my email address and personal details and that is when I hung up and googled his name and was directed to your site.

  6. raymundo
    March 26th, 2010 at 11:41 | #6

    Dear Patricia,

    He is already in the list.

    Yours faithfully,

  7. bob
    July 29th, 2010 at 13:53 | #7

    add “grahams & associates” to the list of random scammers from madrid, spain.

  8. nat
    July 31st, 2010 at 08:31 | #8

    @bob
    Hi
    I seem to have a letter from the same legal company? Can you please confirm this is a type of scam? I’ve been trying to chase all sorts of ways to check it out
    look forward to your reply,thanks
    Nat

  9. Cindy
    September 25th, 2010 at 03:55 | #9

    Hi

    My husband just got a letter today in the mail from a “Luis Santiago Associates Abogados” in Madrid. Interestingly, the letter was posted in Pisa, Italy. It requested my husband to pose as the next of kin of a wealthy “client” of the law firm who has allegedly died leaving 7,500,000 Euro. The deceased “client” has the same last name as my husband. The “lawyer” requested that my husband be “presented to the bank as the next of kin” to avoid the money being confiscated by the government. The “lawyer” suggested that my husband contact him to get more details. His generous proposal is that after giving 10% of the money to charity the remaining 90% would be shared between my husband and the “lawyer”. Needless to say, we are not responding.

  10. admin
    September 25th, 2010 at 08:12 | #10

    Cindy, thanks for your comments. I have copied your post over to the forum for greater exposure – http://belegal.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8649 (http://belegal NULL.com/forums/showthread NULL.php?p=8649).

    Regards

  11. hilary
    September 29th, 2010 at 14:41 | #11

    Can you verify the authenticity of a legal firm in Spain SML Services, Avda de MIjas 14, Fuenguerola, 29640, Malaga, Spain.

  12. admin
    September 29th, 2010 at 19:13 | #12

    Hi Hilary

    There is a thread open for this company – http://belegal.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8449 (http://belegal NULL.com/forums/showthread NULL.php?p=8449).

    Regards

  13. Sirous
    October 22nd, 2010 at 02:08 | #13

    On October 20th, 2010 I recieved a letter from Diez Asociados & Abagados
    telling me I was the only beneficiary left for a sum of US $10,500,000.00
    from a person who happened to have the same last name that had passed away in the Tsunami of Dec. of 2004.
    It was signed by Rodrigo Gonzales. I was fortunate enough with a little research on the internet to find out about the scamms that are going on.
    Stay sharp.

  14. November 11th, 2010 at 16:12 | #14

    MACIASLEGAL-TIMESHARE are claiming the Firm was founded by Mr. Jose Ignacio Macas. They claim he is a lawyer by the bars of Madrid and Malaga and has over ten years experience in real estate litigation.

    maciaslegal timeshare are asking for a retainer but claim to work on the basis of no win no fee. Is this another scam law firm? see below..

    If through information provided by the client, there would appear to be a case to pursue, were we could represent you in a Legal Capacity, then as your legal representatives we would ask for a retainer to act on your behalf.

  15. Sharon Bickahm
    November 22nd, 2010 at 10:22 | #15

    Hi
    Please also add Cara Bronagh aka Bronagh Socio Barristers. We are waiting for the bank to contact us know lol!!!

  16. Trish
    December 6th, 2010 at 08:01 | #16

    Just received a letter from Cara Bronagh aka Bronagh C Socio Stating we are the beneficary to HEAPS of money from an unknown, possibly not related, late person in Dublin, ireland that shares the same surname.
    The amount was in Euros so not sure if this applies to the spanish links or not.

  17. Alan Preo
    December 29th, 2010 at 05:02 | #17

    Another for the list of scammers.
    I received a letter from “Fernando Abogados Law Firm”, Villanueva 24 -3 D 28001 Madrid Spain, signed by a Fernando Escardo (Esq) relating to a relative (an oil magnate engineer) who died in a tsunami in December 2004 leaving USD8.6M. It is requested that I make a claim or these monies will be forfeited to the treasury of the Spanish Ministry as unclaimed.
    Needless to say I will not be reponding

  18. joon hau
    January 4th, 2011 at 17:03 | #18

    Add ESTUDIO LEGAL NEXUS from Palma de Mallorca, Mr. Pau Vidal. Their trick is that they promise to assist you on an investment issue against a small fee of 1000 Euros. Once paid you never hear from them anymore and this Mr. Vidal is not working for the company anymore

  19. January 8th, 2011 at 13:52 | #19

    well i live in australia and ive been geting these dodgy emails from someone in a company calling them selves Abogado Armando M Garcia and asociado telling me that i have inherited 22.million dollrs from someone ive never heard of so could you plz put me onto somone to look into it for me because i gave them my name and address and i just need to kmow what i can do to stop these people from using my details, i know its all a scam because when i tryed to contact them the emails stopped coming but iv e saved the 5 emails that they did send me thank you for your time and i hope you can help me in some way because im realy worried about my details thank you AGAIN.

  20. Joanne
    January 10th, 2011 at 19:33 | #20

    I just received a letter from a Rodrigo Gonzalez saying he was with a law firm Edific Crane & Asociados from Madrid. An internet search shows this company to be an Interior Design Firm. This “barrister” is also telling me that I stand to inherit 10.5 million dollars from a person who shares my last name and supposedly died in the tsunami of 2004. I am not responding, but I would like to bring attention to what is going on.

  21. cupcake
    January 11th, 2011 at 13:53 | #21

    I have also received a letter from Barrister Fernando Escardo Esq., claiming that I should pose as the next of kin for an oil magnate who died in the 2004 tsunami, who happened to share my surname. Came in an Italian-stamped envelope, but he’s in Spain. I’m in Australia. I stood to inherit $8.6million USD, of which he would take 50% plus 5% legal fees. Thank God I googled him and found this.

  22. Chris Kelsall
    January 18th, 2011 at 05:53 | #22

    Received a letter from Morris Mendosa Esq claiming to be a barrister from Madrid stating that a late relation had left Euro 4.500,000.00 of which 10% would go to charity. Contact by phone, fax or email which is a gmail account. The remaing 90% to be shared equally between us. Sounds great??

  23. Mark
    February 24th, 2011 at 14:01 | #23

    Yes same letter as Cindy & Chris Kelsall recieved in Australia.Add this scammer to the list.
    LUZ CORAZON & ASSOCIATES SL

    These people are just low life.

  24. James
    March 1st, 2011 at 05:15 | #24

    @Mark
    Just had the same letter myself from Luz Corazon & Associates

    Obvious scam to me, but I’m sure some people get taken in by these things.

  25. trina
    March 2nd, 2011 at 01:11 | #25

    Hi
    received a letter in the mail from Madrid Spain,
    Same content in letter as Cindy…
    dodgy

  26. Nat
    March 2nd, 2011 at 12:46 | #26

    Hi Mark,
    just got one from Luz Corazon & Associates saying i have the same last name as a dead guy in spain with 7.5 million euro, the lawyer wants to split half. I know its a scam, is this the same sort of letter?

  27. Nat
    March 2nd, 2011 at 12:48 | #27

    sorry i mean james 🙂

  28. richard
    March 3rd, 2011 at 19:55 | #28

    Tenor Abogados & Asociados (michelle@tenor.com) is what the new scam address is

  29. DJEJ robin
    March 4th, 2011 at 20:19 | #29

    Does any one know of Del Prado solicitors on such lists?
    I am trying to find the senior partners names
    they were very quick to take our money from us and exacerbated a bank fraud claim by NOT reacting quick enough to our request !!!
    We had a deadline and they took 10 days to write a letter to the LTSB bank’s (formerely the mess halifax espana) legal department and and only seemed interested in the money !!
    We asked around for an English speaking Spanish lawyer practice -they were on the list. the english speaking girl who interfaced with us was fast off the mark for the cash buty much less interested thereafter passing on to a “professional” who was anything but !!seems spanish pros rely on a buddy system but is NOT professional .
    not recommended – more hassle than they were worth -could be on your lists AVOID

  30. Han
    March 7th, 2011 at 09:45 | #30

    I just received a letter from “Luz Corazon & Associates SL” offering me $7,500 000.00 as a distant family member passed away who had the same last name who was from Spain. He wants 10% of the money for charity reasons and wants to share the other 90% between the both of us.

    What a scam.
    What a pitty :\

  31. Mel
    March 8th, 2011 at 06:51 | #31

    I too have just received a letter from Luz Corazon & associates – exactly the same scam. What worries me is where they get the address & name etc from – the letter was sent to a house I moved out of 8 months ago & was forwarded to me by a neighbour.
    it made me laugh though as they got my name back to front & say I’m the last living relative of someone with a surname the same as my first name – silly mistake for so much effort of posting a letter to Australia!!

  32. Michael Digby
    March 10th, 2011 at 08:25 | #32

    Just received a letter from Geraldo Morris (Barrister) from Spain requesting me to state that I am a relative of a victim of the 2004 Tsunami and could inherit a % of 4.5 m euros if I verify the claim to being a relative. Scam!!!!

  33. John B
    March 16th, 2011 at 18:57 | #33

    Barrister Antonio Rivas of Villanueva 23 – 3 dcha 280001 madrid spain of Fernando Abogados Law firm is a SCAM. I have the same story in one of one the post here (Alan Preo): Oil Magnate – Tsunami victim of December 2004 with 8.6M USD.

  34. Cbel
    March 17th, 2011 at 15:38 | #34

    I received the same letter as the previous individual from Antonio saying that I had inherited 8.6 million from someone that had died in the Tsunami.

  35. Lyle
    March 17th, 2011 at 20:32 | #35

    Got the same letter, in poorly constructed English, as message #32 (above). Same name, same amount, to my correct home address, but mailed in the Czech Republic. Interesting that the name of his “client” is the same as that of my nephew. Oil Magnate – Tsunami victim of December 2004 with 8.6M USD, lived in Spain for 28 years and let his fortune in a safe deposit vault identified only as personal valuables.

  36. Hans
    March 21st, 2011 at 10:28 | #36

    @Mel

    I received the same letter from Luz Corazon & Associates, I’ve just moved into a new address and they had already got my contact details and sent me this in Australia, which is alarming considering I’ve never received any correspondence like this before.

  37. Walter
    March 23rd, 2011 at 05:41 | #37

    I received exactly the same letter from Luz Corazon & Associates, offering 7.500.000.00 euros which to be split in half after proceeds of the death of relatives of the same name.
    Who is going to get to those b***** s and make them pay?

  38. GEK
    March 25th, 2011 at 07:55 | #38

    I have just received a letter from Luz Corazon & Associates offering me an inheritance of Eur 7,500,000.00. All he wants is a 10% cut. If i am interested in his transaction I need to send my contact details. The stupid thing about this is he says he is a Barrister in Spain yet the letter was posted from Portugal. Dumb huh!. Also most Barristers I know of would get their stationary done by a proffessional Printer. This letter I received has been completely done on a computer.
    I still would like to know how they get your name & address

  39. April 11th, 2011 at 09:04 | #39

    Add Mark Franco & Associates from Madrid Spain, to that ever increasing list. Received a letter supposedley from this lawyer talking about an inheritance. The envelope was hand written, but with a South African stamp??? Went on line a googled the name & sure enough there was a web site with same address & phone number so it looked legit but too good to be true. Something needs to be done about these gutter snipe. Praying on people & some who could easily get caught up with it. B——s

  40. Chenz
    April 11th, 2011 at 10:58 | #40

    I too rceived a letter from Luz Corazon and associates to mu home address in Australia. The letter was obviously a fraud because they address the letter to my wife who has inherited my surname through marriage. Furthermore, the letterhead was unprofessionally printed and the envelope had a Portugese stamp on it. Luz corazon literally translates to light heart which far is from the truth. Our hope is that those targeted find this site before they are deceived.

  41. Loz
    April 13th, 2011 at 07:40 | #41

    I am also in Australia and received the Luz Corazon & Associates SL. I have to say they are not bright…

  42. Anitta
    April 15th, 2011 at 03:52 | #42

    @Cindy
    I have received this exact letter today!I wish it was true! I could do with a windfall.

  43. Angela
    April 16th, 2011 at 05:04 | #43

    I also got a letter from Luz Corazon and Associates SL. I live in Australia, i didn’t believe a word of it. They have to be stopped its not right what they are doing!!

  44. Keith L
    November 2nd, 2011 at 02:20 | #44

    The scheme survives: Like Nat, my Spanish deceased “relative” with the same last name has 6.1 million Euro’s in danger of being lost to the Government unless I pose as a relative and split the proceeds. The law firm (and Barrister) in this case is MURPHY HALL & ASSOCIADOS C/Benet Mercade, 19 08012 Barcelona. It would be nice to receive such a windfall but the appropriate response in Australia is, “I may have long ears, but I’m not a rabbit!”

  45. November 12th, 2011 at 09:30 | #45

    I too received a letter in the mail from “MURPHY HALL & ASSOCIADOS”…same as Keith from above, so clearly it is bullshit – thankfully I am one of the lucky people who know how to use Google as a research tool.

    Sadly, there are many other people who not only don’t know how to use Google, but who will actually send money to these desperate (probably Nigerian) fools.

    They are offering %45 of the total amount. I should ask them to deposit 1000 dollars into my account first, for them to receive a higher percentage..

    Though, instead, I`ll probably just send them an email saying what pathetic human beings they are..

  46. tom
    November 14th, 2011 at 04:14 | #46

    Just Received letter about 10.5 million Euros from a dead relative.
    Sent it to my wife who has a different maiden name.

    Title is Despatx Juridic LLUIS BARRULL MERCADER
    Lawyer name is LLUIS BARRULL MERCADER (Not Listed in Spain)
    Address is Avinguda de Salvador Dalí, 116, 17600 Figueres, Espanya (Google has this address but no tenant by any of these names)
    Company website is http://www.barrulladvocats.es/ (http://www NULL.barrulladvocats NULL.es/) (Real Website but not recognized by Whois)
    Tel number is (Mobile) 011 34 928 970 003
    2 Emails — luisbarrul@terra.es (luisbarrul null@null terra NULL.es)luisbarrul@ozu.es (luisbarrul null@null ozu NULL.es)

  47. Quentin Farmar-Bowers
    November 21st, 2011 at 23:09 | #47

    I got a letter from Young Simmons and Associados giving an address at C/ Benet Mercede 19, 08012 Barcelona but posted in Lisbon Portugal (on 13 / 11 / 2011) with a share of an E6 million inheritance from a ‘relative’ I don’t have, who shared my last name. They gave their email as barristersimmons@ozu.es (barristersimmons null@null ozu NULL.es) They gave their name Mr Young Simmons Esq which made me laugh, and offering me half the money if I pose as a relative. It least it cost them E0.8 for the postage. Pity its just a scam!

  48. candy
    November 23rd, 2011 at 15:55 | #48

    PLEASE ADD “TOPRANK LAW FIRM” TO THE LIST- AND MR MARIANO MORAN ACOSTA AS THE SO CALLED LAWYER AND MRS ANNA BELLEN CORDOBA AS BANK MANAGER

  49. Joanne
    November 25th, 2011 at 02:49 | #49

    I have received another letter from a so called Spanish Barrister. This one is from Greg Overby with Vokintag Associates Madrid. He claims a relative with the same last name as mine who lived in Spain for 19 years died with his family in Hurricane Katrina, leavina $11,400,000.00. Mr. Overby would be happy to help me get this money for his fee of $6,200.000.00. I would get the balance of $5,200,000.00. Of course the only place I was able to locate anything about Mr. Overby was on a scam page on another site. This is the second such letter I have recieved this year. The earlier one was from a different firm and the victim perished in the Tsunami in Indonesia. Do people really fall for these scams??

  50. Diane
    March 7th, 2012 at 04:05 | #50

    My mother just received the same letter letter today as well from Hernandez & Socios Estudio Juridico attorney FRANCISCO DOMINGO CARLOS checked address of laywer office was a restaurant in Spain

Comment pages
1 2 3 7

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *