Is an email from my solicitor asking me to change the bank account details for a house purchase payment safe?
Do not act on it without calling your solicitor directly first. Conveyancing fraud is a major risk — scammers intercept emails and impersonate solicitors to divert completion funds.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Explanation
Conveyancing fraud is one of the most financially devastating forms of payment diversion. Scammers monitor email correspondence between homebuyers and their solicitors — either through a compromised email account or by creating convincing lookalike email addresses. Shortly before completion, when large sums must be transferred, the scammer sends a fake email from what appears to be the solicitor's address, advising that the bank account for the completion funds has changed. Homebuyers who transfer their savings to the fraudulent account may lose their entire purchase price with very limited recovery options. Before transferring any funds for a property purchase, call your solicitor on a telephone number you already have on file — not one provided in the email — and verbally confirm all payment details.
Common red flags
- Email requests a change of bank account details close to a completion date
- Slight variation in the solicitor's email address from previous correspondence
- Urgency — funds must be transferred today to proceed with completion
- New bank account is in a different name from the firm
- Any change of payment details arriving by email rather than confirmed by phone
What to do now
- Call your solicitor immediately on a number you already hold
- Do not transfer funds to any new account without verbal confirmation
- Report the suspicious email to your solicitor's firm
- Inform your bank before making the transfer so they can flag it for review
Frequently asked questions
Can I recover money lost in a conveyancing fraud?
Recovery is difficult and not guaranteed. Some banks may refund under their authorised push payment fraud policies. Solicitors who have poor email security may bear liability — take legal advice immediately.