How to protect yourself from conveyancing scams

• Verify payment instructions – confirm payment instructions with your solicitor in person, or over the phone using a phone number you trust, not from an email or invoice. You should do this at the start of the home buying process.
• Be wary of changes – solicitors very rarely change their bank account details. Be extremely wary of any sudden changes and remember that email is not a secure communication channel for receiving payment instructions.
• Secure your email – use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication on all your email accounts. Always sign out of accounts if using shared devices and avoid using public or unprotected Wi-Fi connections.
• Avoid bragging online – don’t shout about your property purchase on social media, at least until you’ve got the keys in your hand. Criminals monitor posts and will target the email accounts of those who look to be in the process of buying a new home.
• Don’t be pressurised – fraudsters will try to put pressure on you to make a payment at short notice or risk the deal falling through. Never send money until you have picked up the phone and spoken to your solicitor on a trusted number.
• Pay attention to warnings – your bank might provide a warning about the payment, especially if the name of the account you’ve entered doesn’t exactly match the details of the receiving account. Always follow the advice provided as part of any warning.