Is convicted ex accountant Darren Upton practicing?

[eek]

The salient part is "if" - how to be sure that it is a real gov dept. Although a cursory google does show that justice.gov.uk is a valid domain name for that dept of the government.

If there is a gov.uk domain that isn't a proper Government department or local council there are far bigger issues to worry about. I know National Parks and other Quangos that don't pass the criteria for getting one ands if there is a problem they can literally be taken down in 10 minutes once the correct people are notified.

If the email address is @department.gov.uk it will be safe and that justice address looks 100% correct for the distribution of proceedings of crime from a case in West Yorkshire.

[velcro]

Fair enough. I'd still be cautious before giving any bank details though, to be on the safe side.

[LondonManc]

Fair enough. I'd still be cautious before giving any bank details though, to be on the safe side.

Just get them to send a cheque then. Or tell them you'll pop in - got to be worth the journey given the sum involved?

[cojak]

Or even just contacting them separately.

I did consider that it might have been a scam before letting it through, but a quick check showed that there is a URL with that name.

Justice.gov.uk

I expect people here to perform their due diligence - we tell them often enough...

[SimonMac]

The salient part is "if" - how to be sure that it is a real gov dept. Although a cursory google does show that justice.gov.uk is a valid domain name for that dept of the government.

Or even just contacting them separately.

I did consider that it might have been a scam before letting it through, but a quick check showed that there is a URL with that name.

Justice.gov.uk

I expect people here to perform their due diligence - we tell them often enough...

You should be fine emailing a gov.uk address, always check if you get an email from a gov.uk address

[SimonMac]

Or even just contacting them separately.

I did consider that it might have been a scam before letting it through, but a quick check showed that there is a URL with that name.

Justice.gov.uk

I expect people here to perform their due diligence - we tell them often enough...

I've asked on the x-gov community to see if it's a genuine mailbox

[malvolio]

I've asked on the x-gov community to see if it's a genuine mailbox

It is the address quoted on Gov.UK for the Ministry of Justice, so should be kosher...

[mudskipper]

Now a 'self employed accountant' on Linked in.

[eek]

Now a 'self employed accountant' on Linked in.

He's missed a trick not setting up as an "umbrella" company at the moment. I doubt he would make a top 50 list of dodgy ones..

[Fred Bloggs]

Now a 'self employed accountant' on Linked in.

As "Darren Upton"? If I remember correctly, I thought he had been struck off by his professional accounting body. Perhaps you can still call yourself an accountant despite being struck off the register? (As far as I know, you don't need any actual qualifications to call yourself an accountant - Chartered Accountant title or similar is however, legally protected). Might be different with accountants, but I doubt that a doctor could still call him/herself a doctor if he/she had been struck off the professional register?