Andrew Crossley denies Greek ACS:Law business

LETTERS SENT to Greek filesharers claiming to be from ACS:Law are likely to be fake according to the solicitors that might have to represent the recipients.

Yesterday we reported that Ralli Solicitors was representing two people in Greece who had been sent letters that purport to be from ACS:Law and ask for reparations for media rights holders.

"They have received e-mails purporting to be from the law firm," said Ralli solicitor Michael Forrester to the BBC.

"The IP addresses quoted do not appear conventional, making reference to country codes outside of the UK. Despite this, the letters of claim refer to UK law under the Copyrights, Design and Patents Act."

However, since then Crossley has apparently contacted Ralli Solicitors to deny that he is involved in the £1,655 shakedowns, while Ralli has also taken issue with some elements of the letters.

"The recipients of the emails do not know how their email addresses have been obtained, nor why it is alleged that they have infringed copyright. Normally an internet service provider would not release their customers' contact details without a court order. We have no information about a relevant court order in these cases," said Michael Forrester, a solicitor at the firm to sister site V3.co.uk.

"It is also unclear how ACS:Law is continuing to operate, despite purporting to close earlier this year and the sole principal recently being made bankrupt. We have advised clients that we may be dealing with an imposter."

As well as this, and far less likely to require detective skills on the Sherlock Holmes level, the letters ask recipients to send their cheques to a non-existent address. µ