Scam title

The sale of British titles is prohibited by the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925. However this legislation only covers titles granted by the sovereign and did not address the misrepresentation of some other British 'titles'.

Misleading advertisements for lordships of manors sometimes appear in the press and on the internet suggesting that the buyer can call themself Lord/lady. According to John Martin Robinson, Maltravers Herald Extraordinary and co-author of The Oxford Guide to Heraldry, "Lordship of this or that manor is no more a title than Landlord of the Dog and Duck." A manorial lordship is not an aristocratic title, but a semi-extinct form of landed property. Lordship in this sense is a synonym for ownership, although this ownership involved an historic legal jurisdiction in the form of the Court baron.[1] The journal Justice of the Peace Local Government Law advises that the position is unclear as to whether a lordship of a manor is a title of honour or a dignity, as this is yet to be tested by the courts.[2] A manorial lordship or ladyship is not connected to the British honours system, but rather the feudal system.[1] Ownership of a manorial lordship will be noted on request in British passports through an official observation worded, 'THE HOLDER IS THE LORD OF THE MANOR OF ................', although as stated in the journal Justice of the Peace Local Government Law the courts are yet to determine whether it is a title of honour or a dignity.[2][3]

Many websites also illegally sell completely bogus British titles and bogus lordships of manors. A website run by the Earl of Bradford focuses on this.[4]

A common scam is to charge a fee in order to 'gain a title' which in reality amounts to an explanation of how to change your name by Deed poll. While this would have the legal consequence of changing your name you would not gain a title. e.g. Mr John Smith could change his name to Lord Smith but he would then become Mr Lord Smith. However, if the person changing their name attempted to pass themselves off as a genuine peer for advantage or gain they could commit a criminal offence.

Some businesses selling bogus titles provide a Foreign & Commonwealth Office apostille or legalization certificate, claiming that this proves the "title" is recognized by Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. In fact an apostille or legalization certificate only confirms that the signature, seal or stamp on the document is genuine. It does not mean that the contents of the document are correct or that the Foreign & Commonwealth Office approves of the contents.

There are additional warnings in the Land Registry's press release and its public guide, The sale of "titles" and Land Registry.[5]

The only title of nobility that can be legitimately bought is a Scottish Feudal Barony. However they are often misrepresented as being the same as peerages which they are not.

There has been a huge increase in recent years of individuals claiming to be the rightful heirs to principalities and/or kingdoms. They then offer to award or ennoble, as claimed fons honorum, individuals with peerages or knighthoods. There is no legal basis for these awards.

• Scam genealogical book
• False titles of nobility