Scam with false banks details being sent to solicitors’ clients

What’s the scam?

We’ve been made aware of a scam where members of the public have received emails claiming to be from solicitors, providing false bank account details.

Members of the public who have instructed a genuine firm of solicitors, often during the purchase of a new property, have received emails claiming to be from their genuine firm of solicitors, reporting that the firm's bank account details have recently changed.

The fraudulent emails, sent from a very similar email address to that of the genuine solicitor, ask the recipient to pay into the new bank account, often the deposit or completion payment for the purchase of their new home.

What are we doing?

We are advising all Scottish firms to ensure they take steps to mitigate this risk.

What should you do?

Contact your solicitor to verify their firm’s bank account details before sending any money to them, especially if you have unexpectedly received new bank account details.

You can check contact details for a firm or individual solicitor by using our Find a Solicitor tool.

Contact the police if you suspect a scam.