Have you recently received an unexpected email about copyright infringement? Maybe even from a certain “lawyer Manuel Holleis from Hamburg”? Caution! The next wave of phishing may have just arrived in your inbox.

Many people are currently receiving emails claiming to be from a lawyer named Hanuel Holleis, complaining about copyright infringement and demanding payment. The emails give the address of ROSE & PARTNER at Jungfernstieg 40 in Hamburg and part of their telephone number. However, when searching online, no lawyer named Manuel Holleis can be found, which is why some end up at ROSE & PARTNER. The law firm ROSE & PARTNER emphasizes that it is in no way affiliated with these emails and does not know any lawyers by this name. Anyone who receives such an email should not contact the law firm, but rather the police, as it could be possible fraud.

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Screenshot of the Rose&Partner page

The fake letter as verbatim:

  Ladies and Gentlemen,

Here we indicate that we represent Universal Pictures International Germany GmbH, Herriotstraße 6-8, 60528 Frankfurt am Main. Legal power of attorney is insured. Through our automated recordings, we identified copyright infringements affecting our client's protected works on September 15, 2023 at 5:33 p.m. These were analyzed and unequivocally assigned to the Internet IP address xxx.

According to the current version of the Digital Services Act, all German Internet service providers are obliged to provide information about the relevant connection holder in the event of copyright infringements. The IP address 88.64.20.137 was assigned to your company by your provider at the time of the crime. Summary of the message:

Owner: xxx
Connection address: xxx
Postal code / city: xxx
Telephone: xxx
E-mail address: xxx

Legal violations: § 97 UrhG (claims for damages), § 53 UrhG (reproductions for private use)

To avoid further costs and a costly legal dispute, we offer a settlement of EUR 860.00 plus a EUR 140.00 lawyer's fee. Please note that our comparison is only valid until September 22, 2023 and the settlement payment must be received by us by the same date.

In accordance with the provisions of § 52 UrhG and § 97 UrhG, we are obliged to clearly identify you as the connection owner before sending the payment request. For this purpose, we ask you to go to the website below and follow the instructions there

https://manuel-holleis.com

If the deadline has expired without further notice, we will file a lawsuit without further request and commission an expert to fully determine the exact damage, the costs of which you will also have to bear. The total costs for a procedure, including expert and lawyer fees, usually amount to at least €5,000.

Please note that our settlement offer is a voluntary concession by our client and there is no legal entitlement.

Sincerely,

Attorney Manuel Holleis

Attorney Manuel Holleis Jungfernstieg 40 D-20354 Hamburg Telephone: +49 (0) 40 414 37 690 Fax: +49 (0) 40 414 37 691 Manuel Holleis is admitted to practice in Hamburg and is a member of the Hanseatic Bar Association Hamburg, Valentinskamp 88, 20355 Hamburg .

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Screenshot of another fake email

A warning from whom?

Imagine waking up one morning, turning on the computer and discovering a warning letter from a lawyer. Terrible, isn't it? But before you panic, wouldn't it be wise to stop for a moment and ask yourself, "Who exactly is this lawyer?"

The lawyer fraud attempt in detail

The criminals are clever – they use the names of real law firms, but the supposed lawyers? Often they don't even exist! Manuel Holleis, for example, is not listed anywhere. Nevertheless, an email that appears to come from him demands high settlement payments for alleged copyright infringements.

The lure: threats and deadlines

The content of the fraudulent emails is alarming: the newly introduced Digital Services Act, data leaks, threatened lawsuits and hefty fees. And all of this should be settled in an exceptionally short period of time.

This is how you recognize the fraud!

Let's face it: In today's digital world, anyone can write a compelling email. But there are clear indications that expose these fraud attempts:

  • Notation in capital letters
  • Unusual deadlines
  • Threats
  • Alleged warnings that only come via email

What to do if you suspect?

Before you even consider responding to such emails, do your research. Never click on suspicious links or provide any personal information. And if you have already fallen into the trap, do not hesitate to contact the police!

Conclusion: At a time when digital fraud is on the rise, it is more important than ever to be vigilant. Emails sent under the guise of warnings are just one of many scams criminals use to get your money. It is up to all of us to stay informed, question critically and not give room to such fraudsters.


To stay up to date and receive valuable tips on protecting your data, we recommend that you sign up for the Mimikama newsletter . also offer you media education program Together we can help make the digital world safer. Protect your bank details and stay vigilant!

Also read: Fraudsters on the hunt for bank details: How to protect yourself!


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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )