Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Solicitor said they are changing bank account details...due to complete.is it a scam?!

90 replies

bmachine · 01/03/2021 20:23

Hello

Bit of an odd one

Have been dealing with a conveyancing solicitor recommended by our estate agent for many months now

Have had detailed legal advise over phone. Been to office twice (covid). Searches etc the works done.

We were due to exchange today and have transferred deposit to the account number that was on our original client care letter. We verified this account number over phone twice with out solicitor and once over email..

Suddenly today they have advised they are changing to a limited company as of tommorow ( no word before) so will be sending us details of a new account to pay into for completion (told us this over phone and via email)

now I'm an anxious person and this has really set me off worrying I'm about to be scammed

Bf thinks I'm being irrational and we've been dealing with them for months

Can any one advise how I check if their story of converting to a limited company stacks up?

What assurances would you insist on being put in place before you transferred your life savings to a new account?

I have two weeks between exchange and completion so a bit of time to sort this out and feel satisfied

Any thoughts welcome

OP posts:
JoyOrbison · 01/03/2021 21:14

Definatley don't send mo ey! I worked at a high Street bank and custo era have lost their life savings transferring purchase funds to fraudsters because of these scam emails.

starfishmummy · 01/03/2021 21:17

And be carefil handing over at the door. Anyone can meet you outsode their offices. Insist that its someone you have previously met and recognise

Whalewithnosnail · 01/03/2021 21:18

There is a known fraud problem which forms have been experiencing in Scotland at least so I assume UK wide. Here is the law society of Scotland's guidance

here

Comefromaway · 01/03/2021 21:20

@sanfranfibber

If they're keeping old account open why do you need to send to new account?
We changed company bank accounts a while back for several reasons. We kept the old account open as well for a while because despite informing everyone lots of customers continued to try and pay into the old account.
Weirdlynormal · 01/03/2021 21:24

You won’t sound crazy OP! ... you WOUKD be crazy not to check, double check, and check again.

I’d want a FaceTime call at the very least. We are taking a one way, life changing, cataclysmic mistake if you get this wrong. I’d plump for crazy instead of that

DespairingHomeowner · 01/03/2021 21:24

Sounds like a scam! I was warned about same in engagement letter

Do you know any of the staff to speak to on phone/recognise voice? I’d try to contact that person and generally be very wary /try yeti pay into old account

Original poster
bmachine · 01/03/2021 21:25

@starfishmummy

And be carefil handing over at the door. Anyone can meet you outsode their offices. Insist that its someone you have previously met and recognise
I went directly up to their offices (having been in before to sign initial papers/passports etc) knocked at the door and handed it to someone who worked there(id not seen them before) as my solicitor is wfh. I might ask if he's coming in any day this week-bloody covid
OP posts:
DespairingHomeowner · 01/03/2021 21:25

@Weirdlynormal

You won’t sound crazy OP! ... you WOUKD be crazy not to check, double check, and check again.

I’d want a FaceTime call at the very least. We are taking a one way, life changing, cataclysmic mistake if you get this wrong. I’d plump for crazy instead of that

^ totally agree
Snowite · 01/03/2021 21:26

Scam. You should do a test transaction for an unspecified small amount e.g. £1.59 and you phone to ask your solicitor to proactively confirm the exact sum sent. Record the phone call and ask them to confirm the exact amount received to you in an email too.

domesticslattern · 01/03/2021 21:27

I've read about this exact scam in Guardian money. They lost all their money. Be really really careful.
ps. Your bf is very naive!!!

Viviennemary · 01/03/2021 21:27

No don't transfer the money. It might well be a scam

Barton10 · 01/03/2021 21:30

I work in conveyancing and this is a well known scam. Your solicitors would not change accounts like this. Ring your conveyancer and check with them. Emails can be very quickly intercepted by hackers. You are right to be cautious

VinterKvinna · 01/03/2021 21:31

@bmachine

They have not been clear on that other then a 'letter' but i dont know if this is a physical letter or a letter sent via email

I'm half considering commuting an hour to their offices in person to have the account details handed to me..worried I'll come across as a crazy lady (I admit this) but then again for two hours out of my day maybe it's worth it...bf think I'm mad.

I would do it
gamerchick · 01/03/2021 21:32

@Hmmph

My solicitors have this warning on their website, so it is a thing:

“There has been a recent significant increase in cybercrime reported against solicitors and their clients. It is vital that you are alerted to this risk.

Criminals are hacking into the computers of clients and sending them emails purporting to come from their solicitors. These emails ask for money to be sent and give details of the account for payment. These are attempts to hijack money from clients and they are often succeeding.”

Can you call your estate agents and get them to confirm?

Christ, that's properly hardcore that is. Poor buggers that fall for it.
Weirdlynormal · 01/03/2021 21:32

@Snowite

Scam. You should do a test transaction for an unspecified small amount e.g. £1.59 and you phone to ask your solicitor to proactively confirm the exact sum sent. Record the phone call and ask them to confirm the exact amount received to you in an email too.
Good call nice and random.

I’d still want a bloody FaceTime call.

gamerchick · 01/03/2021 21:33

And doesn't say much about solicitors computer security

Finals1234 · 01/03/2021 21:33

@LApprentiSorcier

Another thing it's worth doing is sending a test payment of £1 and check with them that they have received it.
I ALWAYS do this with big payments after I was nearly scammed out of my house deposit. OP your situation screams scam to me, please be ultra careful and yes do go to their offices in person.
Original poster
bmachine · 01/03/2021 21:35

@Snowite

Scam. You should do a test transaction for an unspecified small amount e.g. £1.59 and you phone to ask your solicitor to proactively confirm the exact sum sent. Record the phone call and ask them to confirm the exact amount received to you in an email too.
good idea
OP posts:
Original poster
bmachine · 01/03/2021 21:36

ok thank you all I have a plan:

  1. insist on paying into old account (which he said he said is staying open)
  2. if not I will request to meet in person at the office to verify- ideally with him or his assistant who we have been in regular contact with
3, I'd like to verify independently if their limited company story adds up- who do I call to check this with/what organisation-would SRA be able to tell me?
OP posts:
Inanun2 · 01/03/2021 21:37

It sounds like a scam to me too.. be very very careful.

Tanfastic · 01/03/2021 21:42

I've worked in Conveyancing for a number of years. Please contact the solicitors by telephone and speak to their accounts department before transferring any money whatsoever. This can be a scam.

ILoveAllRainbowsx · 01/03/2021 21:59

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Heyahun · 01/03/2021 22:02

We are about to send out deposit over too - on the bottom of emails from them it says

“Given recent high profile media cases of email interception and fraudulent alterations to bank details and in particular, those relating to solicitors' firms, PLEASE NOTE that you cannot rely on any bank details sent to you by email, even if they appear to come from this firm. It is your responsibility to check with us that you are using the correct bank details for any payments to be made to us in order to avoid any misunderstandings, delays or fraud.
Please also note we will not be held responsible for any liability arising out of funds being sent by any party to an incorrect account

Please note that our bank details will not change throughout the course of a transaction. You should refer to your client care letter for more information. If you have any further questions, please contact your solicitor.”

I would be very wary of this - you wee definitely not being over dramatic at all!!

NotMeNoNo · 01/03/2021 22:07

If it's not a scam, (dodgy as it sounds) they will not object at all to you checking them out. Can you phone the solicitor on the number on earlier correspondence or ask to speak to a named individual? Well done for smelling a rat.

LongCOVID · 01/03/2021 22:13

It sounds like a scam. Don't change the bank details. Better still, don't pay anything until you have confirmed.
If they have changed bank details (highly unlikely, and extremely unlikely to happen just as you need to pay them money) then they would still have access to their old account anyway - loads of payments in and out of the old account would still happen and the bank would sort it with them.