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According to the SRA, emails associated with the scheme purported to come from a genuine solicitors’ firm and offered assistance with accessing a supposed cryptocurrency account. Recipients were encouraged to follow a link and complete an identity verification process, allegedly to unblock the account and release the funds.
The accompanying documentation instructed recipients to contact Michael Opolskiy through an email address and telephone number that were not associated with Legacy Wills and Probate.
By using the name and company details of an established legal practice, those behind the operation appeared to be attempting to create a sense of legitimacy around the purported cryptocurrency services. The approach could make it more difficult for recipients to distinguish fraudulent communications from genuine correspondence, particularly when they believe they are being assisted by a regulated legal professional.
Legacy Wills and Probate said the impersonation involved a fraudulent website and related communications. The firm stressed that the individuals promoting the services had no connection with its business.
A spokesperson for the firm said: “We want to make it absolutely clear that these individuals and their activities have no connection whatsoever with LWPC Ltd trading as Legacy Wills and Probate.”
The warning is particularly relevant to people who receive unexpected messages about cryptocurrency accounts, frozen funds or money that can supposedly be released after completing verification procedures. Such requests should be independently checked before recipients provide personal information, follow links or make payments.
The reported consequences of the Crypto scam extend beyond the loss of money, with one affected individual describing the uncertainty, anxiety and disruption caused by the experience.
Speaking anonymously to The Bolton News, the victim explained that suspicions grew after money they had requested failed to arrive. They became certain they had been deceived when the person they had been communicating with abruptly stopped responding.
The victim said: “I only became 100% certain that I had been scammed towards the end, when the person I had been communicating with suddenly stopped responding to my messages.”
They added that the failure to transfer the expected funds had raised concerns before communication eventually ceased.
The individual also described the continuing psychological impact, explaining that the experience had affected their sleep and peace of mind. The stress had not ended with the discovery of the fraud, as concerns about the missing money continued to occupy their thoughts.
The financial consequences were also significant because the money had been intended to help purchase a flat. According to the victim, the scammer took part of the funds set aside for that purpose, affecting both their immediate financial position and their plans for the future.
Although the victim said they had since received assistance from police, the prospect of recovering the money remained uncertain.
“I find it difficult to believe that I will ever recover my money,” the victim said, adding that uncertainty over repayment had made it harder to move forward.
The account illustrates how a Crypto scam can have consequences that extend into housing plans, financial security and emotional well-being. It also demonstrates the difficulties victims may face when trying to establish what happened to their money after fraudulent operators disappear or stop responding.
Legacy Wills and Probate said it was extremely concerned that members of the public may have been misled by individuals deliberately exploiting the identity of a legitimate, regulated legal practice.
The firm confirmed that it had received several enquiries about suspicious communications. It had also been informed of one individual who reported an alleged financial loss, although the available information does not establish the total number of victims or the overall amount involved.
A spokesperson said: “We are extremely concerned that members of the public have potentially been misled by these individuals deliberately exploiting the identity of a legitimate, regulated law firm.”
The firm advised anyone uncertain about a communication claiming to originate from its practice to contact it directly using its established contact details.
Its genuine website is legacywillsandprobate.com, and its published telephone number is 0333 344 4325. People who receive suspicious messages can use these independently verified details to ask the firm whether the correspondence is authentic, rather than relying on the contact information supplied in the questionable communication.
The spokesperson added: “Our principal concern is to prevent further members of the public from becoming victims of this fraudulent activity.”
The distinction between the genuine legal practice and the people behind the impersonation is important. The firm has stated that it has no connection with the purported cryptocurrency services, and the misuse of its identity should not be interpreted as evidence that its legitimate business is responsible for the alleged fraud.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has advised members of the public to conduct independent checks whenever they receive correspondence claiming to originate from a law firm whose identity may have been copied or cloned.
The regulator recommends contacting the firm directly through reliable, established contact details to verify whether a message or document is genuine. It also advises people to check with the SRA whether a law firm or individual is authorised and regulated.
These precautions can help people identify warning signs before they disclose sensitive information or take action based on misleading claims. In particular, recipients should be cautious when an unsolicited message promises access to cryptocurrency holdings, refers to a supposedly blocked account or directs them to an unfamiliar website to complete identity verification.
A name, logo or company registration detail appearing in an email does not, by itself, establish that the sender is connected to the organisation. Fraudsters may copy publicly available business information to make their communications appear credible.
Anyone who suspects that they have been targeted by a Crypto scam should preserve relevant emails, documents, telephone numbers, website addresses and transaction records. They should also contact the appropriate authorities and their financial institution, where applicable, to seek guidance on reporting the incident and whether any recovery options are available.
However, recovering cryptocurrency or other transferred funds is not guaranteed, and victims should remain wary of subsequent approaches from people promising to retrieve lost money in exchange for an upfront fee.
The Bolton case serves as a reminder that impersonation can exploit trust in professional institutions as well as interest in digital assets. For the public, independent verification remains an important safeguard against fraudulent offers. For legitimate businesses, the incident demonstrates how copied identities can expose customers to financial harm while damaging confidence in genuine services.
With Legacy Wills and Probate urging people to verify suspicious correspondence and the SRA reinforcing its guidance, the immediate priority is to prevent further losses and help potential victims distinguish authentic legal communications from fraudulent approaches.
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