MEDIA RELEASE – For immediate use, 19 June 2012

Warning issued about forged certified copy stamp

The New Zealand Law Society has warned banks and other institutions which require certified copies of documents for identification purposes to check with the certifier if they have any doubts about their authenticity.

The warning follows the discovery of forged certification purporting to be from a lawyer working for a law firm on copies of passports which were used to attempt to open bank accounts.

Copies of the identification pages of Swiss and Iranian passports were stamped “We certify that this is a true copy of the original” and signed by someone purporting to work for a New Zealand law firm. The contact details which were given for the law firm are correct, but the firm does not use such a stamp and does not employ any lawyer of the name used.

The Law Society’s Executive Director, Christine Grice, said all New Zealand lawyers were able to certify documents as being a true copy of an original.

“The Law Society is very concerned that someone is misusing the good name of a reputable law firm for criminal purposes. We have advised New Zealand’s banks that they should be careful and check back with a law firm if they have any doubts about whether a certification is genuine.

“The Law Society maintains a Register of Lawyers, which provides details of all lawyers who hold a current practising certificate. While this can be used to check whether a lawyer is entitled to practice, any lawyer who has been admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court is able to certify documentation, and while genuinely able to certify, may not appear on the Register.

“Our advice is to contact the named law firm or the certifier directly if there is any doubt.”

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