Solicitor send proceeds to fraud account

mr_megs

My house completed on Friday and I have been expecting the proceeds to hit my account. This hadn't happened so I called my solicitor who said they CHAP'd the money on Friday to the account which I emailed them! Shocked I've told them that I haven't emailed them any account info and they were to use the bank details on the sale proforma I filled in on paper and personally handed to them at the start of the sale process! They are currently looking into what happened!

It looks like someone has spoofed my email address and they've sent the money to a fraudster!

Should I be worried about my money? What will happen? HELP!

anselld

Your solicitor should not have acted on email details alone.
They will be liable if they cannot recover the money via the bank.

Comms69

So you've considered it might be your ex wife?

mr_megs

Comms69 wrote: »

So you've considered it might be your ex wife?

For a brief second yes! But highly unlikely. She didn't need a guarantor in the end btw, so all good there.

Jumblebumble

mr_megs wrote: »

For a brief second yes! But highly unlikely. She didn't need a guarantor in the end btw, so all good there.

It amazes me that solicitors are still doing this
There are warnings almost every week in the moneysections of the national press
The SRA warned solicitors about this back in 2015 !
https://www.sra.org.uk/risk/blog/issue-015.page

On that basis your solicitor is a negligent fool.
JumbleBumble

Exodi

Oh dear, what sum are we talking?

I think there may be an unemployed solicitor at the end of this.

bap98189

anselld wrote: »

Your solicitor should not have acted on email details alone.
They will be liable if they cannot recover the money via the bank.

I'm astonished that the solicitor used bank account details sent by Email. When we recently bought our house, the solicitor insisted we either come into the office to give them the bank account details or call their accounts department at a set time to prevent exactly this sort of fraud.

SmashedAvacado

You should probably speak to another solicitor about making a claim against your conveyancing solicitor. Your claim could include the costs of instructing the solicitor. Don't delay in doing this. How much are we talking?

mr_megs

An update, it turns out they didn't receive a spoof email, they just sent it to another client of theirs instead of me by mistake!

They have contacted the person and said person has confirmed they've received it and he is going to start sending the money back £20k a day (due to their banks transfer limit).

Not ideal but as soon as solicitors receive the money they are going to transfer to me straight away, so should be fully reimbursed over the next few days.

Exodi

mr_megs wrote: »

An update, it turns out they didn't receive a spoof email, they just sent it to another client of theirs instead of me by mistake!

They have contacted the person and said person has confirmed they've received it and he is going to start sending the money back £20k a day (due to their banks transfer limit).

Not ideal but as soon as solicitors receive the money they are going to transfer to me straight away, so should be fully reimbursed over the next few days.

So no real harm done unless you intend on waving the compensation pot at them?

I'd also imagine someones going to receive some stern words lol

Waiting for the inevitable thread;

"RECEIVED £60,000 ACCIDENTALLY... CAN I KEEP IT?"

Comms69

What bank has a £20k limit on transfers?