Proof of Address Verification: The vital addition to your firm's defence against fraud

Proof of address has become a frontline control in AML. It’s a key document that helps you ensure you truly understand who your client is and establish a reliable basis of contacting them. 

However the SRA’s latest risk themes make it clear: simply collecting a document is no longer enough - firms must scrutinise what they receive. 

In this blog we break down: 

1. What the SRA has observed about how risk in the legal market is shifting, 
2. Why proof of address scrutiny matters, and 
3. How Legl’s Proof of Address Verification helps you carry out that scrutiny internationally, so you are better placed than ever to prevent fraud and reduce risk.

The emerging risks challenging compliance teams

Increasing examples of poor scrutiny of client due diligence (CDD):

Many firms are still missing the basics. The SRA found repeated cases where ID or address documents were collected but not properly analysed, with clear mismatches overlooked across multiple sign-offs. 

Under time and cost pressures, these mistakes are inevitable without structured, consistent checks that remove reliance on individual reviewers.

Geographic expansion: 

The SRA has reported increasing flows of capital from overseas, including higher-risk jurisdictions. This is driven by both political instability and an increase of globally mobile individuals whose residence, citizenship, and business interests span multiple countries. 

This is exposing UK firms more instructions from overseas PEPs or from jurisdictions with weaker AML controls. Reliable, international proof of identity and address verification is now essential to defend against fraud and strengthen compliance.

Remote working & client relationships:

Geographic expansion also coincides with an increase in remote service delivery. This means more instances where lawyers will not meet their client in-person during a matter and even more importance that the documentary evidence received during CDD can be relied upon.

Proof of address, when properly verified, is a practical test of a client’s credibility and gives the firm confidence about who they are dealing with - even in the absence of meeting a client in-person.

The changing face of fraud in the wake of new technology: 

The advancing sophistication and accessibility of technology is widening the threat of fraudulent documents slipping through a law firm’s defences. Proof of address documents are becoming easier to forge and even though fakes often have tells - these can be difficult to spot. 

Firms need tools that detect digital manipulation and image tampering - a second pair of eyes, more adept at identifying what the human eye can easily miss.

Why Proof of Address scrutiny is pivotal

Proof of address verification isn’t just address confirmation; it’s a cross-check on identity, residence and the overall plausibility of the matter. Done well, it protects firms from the risks posed by clients parties who seeking to transact anonymously and reveals AML risks that might otherwise be missed.

This is why regulators constantly stress that they want to see not tick-box exercises, but proof that law firms have properly scrutinised, analysed the evidence before making a decision to act for a client.

How Legl’s Proof of Address Verification helps

Legl has just released an enhanced proof of address verification service to give our customers a valuable addition to their defenses against fraud.

In developing the tool, we wanted to focus on ensuring we addressed two key challenges we heard:

1. Checking proof of address documents is still often done manually. This opens firms up to the kind of mistakes or vulnerabilities highlighted by the SRA - firms want to automate the process and get a second pair of eyes they can trust.

2. A lack of international coverage. Many firms have secure ways of verifying their clients details in the UK. Internationally reliable data can be harder to come by which leaves firms in an uncertain position. Firms need a solution which is transferable across jurisdictions. 

By focusing on verifying or flagging risks about the document itself, Legl turns “we collected a document” into “we analysed the evidence.”

Automated verification across 80 countries. Legl dynamically requests acceptable proof of address document types in each jurisdiction and verifies documents against local rules - ideal for cross-border onboarding.

Document-first fraud defence. Legl analyses the document itself to detect visible fraud, image quality issues and digital tampering - it's that second pair of eyes that ensures your firm’s defence against document fraud stays strong, regardless of the jurisdiction.

Faster, more consistent decisions. Instant checks cut the manual admin of basic fact-finding, reduce reliance on individual reviewer diligence and help teams focus on genuine risk signals.

Audit-ready by design. Every verification and any risk flags are logged in Legl, creating a defensible trail that evidences proper scrutiny during audits or inspections - helping you show regulators the approach they want to see.

The outcome for firms

In today’s risk environment, collecting proof of address isn’t enough on its own. 

Legl helps you scrutinise it, automatically, consistently, internationally and at scale.

Mismatches and manipulated documents don’t slip through, and your firm can demonstrate real CDD scrutiny when it matters most.