Date: 30 January 2026

Summary

This investigation examines allegations of fraudulent activity linked to Alpiner Law Ltd, a UK-registered entity ostensibly providing intellectual property services, particularly trademark protection. The inquiry was prompted by reports of unsolicited emails from persons purporting to be solicitors Diane Edwina Thompson and Amy Taylor, alerting recipients to alleged trademark conflicts and pressing for immediate action.

Principal findings indicate that Alpiner Law Ltd, while registered with Companies House and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), displays numerous inconsistencies suggestive of a scam operation. These include a lack of intellectual property expertise, a rudimentary website, and victim accounts of interactions with individuals exhibiting foreign accents and unprofessional conduct. Diane Edwina Thompson and Amy Taylor are registered solicitors, but their profiles reveal specialisations in criminal law rather than intellectual property, and there is strong evidence of identity misuse.

The scheme aligns with a broader pattern of trademark scams in the UK, which surged in 2025, often involving impersonation of legitimate solicitors to coerce payments for spurious services. Independent research points to potential origins in overseas call centres, particularly in India, based on reported accents, similar scam templates, and connections to international fraud networks. No direct financial trails were uncovered in public records, but such operations typically involve wire transfers or cryptocurrency to obscure funds.

Recommendations urge reporting to the SRA, Action Fraud, and the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO), alongside enhanced due diligence for businesses.

Introduction

The investigation arises from communications received by Arsalan Abbasi of Aventine Lab, involving emails from “Amy Taylor” at Alpiner Law Ltd, warning of a purported trademark application conflicting with the company’s name. Subsequent public discussions, including a LinkedIn thread, revealed similar experiences among other UK businesses. This prompted a deeper probe into the entity’s legitimacy and potential links to organised fraud.

In the context of rising financial crime, trademark scams exploit business vulnerabilities, inducing panic to extract fees for unnecessary filings. The UK saw over 20 SRA alerts in 2025 for comparable schemes, many involving solicitor identity theft. This report assesses whether Alpiner Law Ltd forms part of such activities and explores possible perpetrators.

Methodology

Research drew on public sources, including official registries, web searches, and social media analysis. Specific steps included:

• Verification of entity and individual details via Companies House and SRA databases.
• Web searches for scam reports, domain information, and similar fraud patterns.
• Review of SRA scam alerts for 2025-2026.
• Analysis of X (formerly Twitter) for real-time mentions of related scams.
• Cross-referencing with known international fraud trends.

No private or restricted data was accessed. Findings are current as of 30 January 2026.

Key Findings

Entity Analysis: Alpiner Law Ltd

Alpiner Law Ltd is incorporated under Companies House number 15478901, dated January 2024, with a registered address at 21 Duke Street, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1BW. The SIC code is 69102 (solicitors), and Diane Edwina Thompson is listed as the sole director. Filing history is sparse, limited to incorporation documents, with no annual accounts or significant updates. The SRA recognises the firm (ID 8010575), trading as Alpiner Law, but notes no specialisation in intellectual property.

The website (alpinelaw.com) is basic, emphasising trademark services with urgent language but lacking team details, client references, or SRA certification. It mirrors templates used in other flagged sites, such as trademarkexpressive.com, which the SRA has warned against for false claims in intellectual property matters. The address appears to be a virtual office shared with unrelated businesses, raising questions about operational substance.

No SRA alert specifically names Alpiner Law Ltd as of this date, but recent warnings cover analogous misuse of solicitor identities in trademark contexts, such as emails from fake firms like Solicitors Ballard.

Individual Profiles

Diane Edwina Thompson (SRA ID 108799, admitted 2004) specialises in criminal law, including fraud and general crime. She is associated with Asghar & Co Solicitors Ltd in Slough, Berkshire, as a consultant and director. Her role at Alpiner Law Ltd includes Compliance Officer for Legal Practice and Finance. There is minimal online presence, with no LinkedIn profile or intellectual property-related publications.

Amy Alexandra Taylor (SRA ID 7170312, admitted 2014) also focuses on criminal law, covering fraud, juvenile matters, and legal aid. Employment history includes various firms, but no confirmed tie to Alpiner Law Ltd or intellectual property work. Like Thompson, she has no discernible digital footprint.

Victim reports consistently describe calls with “Diane” or “Amy” featuring heavy Asian accents, poor signal quality, and abrupt terminations, inconsistent with UK-based professionals. This suggests impersonation rather than direct involvement.

Communication Patterns

Emails exhibit professional formatting but contain red flags: fabricated conflicts, 48-hour deadlines, and offers to represent conflicting parties, breaching SRA ethics on conflicts of interest. Domains like notice.alpinelaw.com may facilitate phishing.

Public discussions, including a LinkedIn thread with over 37 comments and 3,713 impressions, detail similar encounters, with victims noting foreign accents and “packages” of fake services. X searches reveal broader scam narratives, such as solicitor identities fraudulently used in US trademark filings via platforms like Fiverr, echoing UK patterns.

Links to Broader Networks

This operation fits a 2025 “fraudwave” of UK trademark scams, with SRA alerts highlighting identity theft and pressure tactics. Many originate from India or Pakistan, involving call centres that exploit low digital footprints of real solicitors. Domain analysis for alpinelaw.com shows US-based registrations, but scam templates link to international rings.

Financial dimensions include coerced payments (typically £500-£2,000) via wire or crypto, potentially feeding money laundering networks. No specific trails for Alpiner Law were found, but similar schemes use offshore accounts to evade detection.

Analysis

Indicators of fraud are evident: expertise mismatches, ethical breaches, and impersonation hallmarks. The scheme preys on business fears, generating revenue through bogus filings. Perpetrators likely operate from India, leveraging cheap labour and jurisdictional gaps, as seen in accent reports and parallel scams. Identity theft targets low-profile solicitors, enabling SRA-registered fronts.

While Thompson and Taylor’s registrations lend credibility, evidence leans towards unauthorised use rather than complicity. This could involve shell entities or hacked credentials, complicating enforcement across borders.

Conclusions

Alpiner Law Ltd exhibits characteristics of a fraudulent trademark solicitation scheme, part of wider international fraud trends. Identity misuse is probable, with operations potentially directed from India. The impact includes financial losses and eroded trust in legal services.