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Common warning signs before sending property money
There are warning signs that should prompt extra checks before sending money during a conveyancing transaction, including:
- a message saying the solicitor’s bank details have changed
- pressure to make a payment urgently
- an email address that is slightly different from the genuine address
- unexpected payment instructions
- a request to keep the transaction confidential
- bank account details that do not match the solicitor’s firm
- a Confirmation of Payee warning or partial match
Confirmation of Payee is an account name-checking service designed to help people confirm whether the name they enter matches the account they are paying. If a bank warning says the name does not match, or only partially matches, stop the payment until you have verified the details directly.
Homebuyers should verify bank details using a trusted phone number, not one from the suspicious email. Ideally, confirm bank details at the start of the transaction and check them again before making any large transfer.
UK homebuyers are being warned about “Friday afternoon fraud”, a type of conveyancing scam where criminals impersonate a solicitor, estate agent or other trusted contact during a property transaction.
The scam often happens near exchange or completion, when buyers are expecting to send large sums of money. A fraudster may send an email that appears to come from the solicitor or estate agent, giving bank details for the payment. In reality, the account belongs to the criminal.
Report Fraud, the UK’s cybercrime reporting service, recorded 140 property-related cases between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, with an average loss of £78,393. It also reported that scams in which people are persuaded to pay money into the wrong bank account cost victims £101 million in the 2025-26 financial year.
How Friday afternoon fraud works
Friday afternoon fraud usually involves an authorised push payment, commonly known as APP fraud. APP fraud happens when someone is tricked into sending money from their own bank account to an account controlled by a fraudster. The payment is “authorised” because the customer initiates the transfer themselves, but only because they have been deceived.
In conveyancing fraud, criminals may access an email chain, send a convincing fake email or create an almost identical email address to impersonate a solicitor or estate agent. The email may say bank details have changed, payment is now due, or funds need to be sent urgently.
Timing adds pressure, as property transactions often involve tight deadlines, completion dates and large sums that must be transferred quickly. Fraudsters know buyers may be generally under stress with the process and anxious to avoid delaying the purchase, in turn they may not stop to verify a last-minute change.
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What should victims do immediately after transferring money to a fraudster?
Anyone who realises they may have sent money for property to a fraudster should contact their bank immediately.
Speed can make a difference as banks may be able to contact the receiving bank, freeze funds, or begin the APP fraud reimbursement process. Victims should also contact their solicitor, report the matter to Report Fraud, and keep a clear record of what happened.
Victims should not delete messages, even if they feel embarrassed or distressed. The details of what was said, when the payment was made, and which warnings were shown can be important when assessing whether the bank should reimburse the loss and indeed could go on to form the basis of a criminal investigation and ultimately prosecution.
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Could the bank be liable for your loss?
A bank is not automatically responsible for every scam payment, but it may have obligations to protect customers from APP fraud.
The Payment Systems Regulator oversees payment systems and sets rules to help protect people from payment fraud. It introduced APP fraud reimbursement protections for many UK bank transfers made through Faster Payments and CHAPS from 7 October 2024. CHAPS is often used for high-value payments, including some property transactions.
City watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority explains that a payment service provider must reimburse customers for APP fraud carried out in the UK via Faster Payments or CHAPS, subject to the rules and any applicable exclusions.
There may also be questions about whether the bank issued clear warnings, whether the payment was unusual for the customer, whether the account name matched, and how the bank responded after the fraud was reported.
Where a bank refuses reimbursement, the customer may be able to make a complaint. If the complaint is not resolved, they may be able to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), a free and independent service that helps resolve complaints between consumers and financial businesses.
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Property scams can involve life-changing financial losses
Conveyancing fraud can be particularly damaging because the money involved is often a deposit, house sale proceeds or completion money. Victims may lose savings built up over many years, miss a completion deadline or face serious disruption to a house move.
Scam victims sometimes blame themselves, especially when they authorised the transfer. In reality, these frauds can be sophisticated, targeted and timed to exploit the pressure of a property transaction.
Authorising the payment does not automatically rule out a path to recovery. Much will depend on the warnings shown, how unusual the payment was, and how the bank responded once the fraud was reported.
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What should homebuyers do before transferring money?
Before sending any large property payment, buyers should take extra care and confirm bank details by calling their solicitor on a trusted number, ideally one they have used before or taken from the firm’s official website. They should not rely on bank details sent in an email without checking them independently.
If an email states that the solicitor’s bank details have changed, treat it as a serious warning sign. Buyers should pause and verify the information directly before sending any money.
It is also sensible to use strong email passwords, enable two-factor authentication, avoid public Wi-Fi when checking sensitive emails, and be careful about posting moving dates or property transaction details on social media.
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TLW Solicitors’ comment
“Friday afternoon fraud can be devastating because victims are often transferring life-changing sums of money at one of the most stressful points in a property transaction.
Anyone who has sent money to the wrong account should contact their bank immediately and keep a clear record of what happened. Emails, payment warnings, Confirmation of Payee results, and the bank’s response can all be relevant when assessing whether reimbursement should be granted.
Victims of these scams should not assume they can do nothing simply because they authorised the transfer. These cases need careful review, particularly where the payment was unusual, the warnings were unclear, or the bank failed to act quickly after the fraud was reported.
I would urge anyone who finds themselves in this situation to get in touch with my team for advice on next steps. Do not feel ashamed or embarrassed. These frauds are more common than people think, and there is specialist help available.”
Get in touch
TLW Solicitors helps clients who have lost money to APP fraud and scams, and in cases where a bank may have failed to protect them from financial loss. If you or a loved one have lost money in a conveyancing fraud, property payment scam or other bank transfer scam, we can help you understand your position, review the bank’s response and advise on the next steps available.
