Scammed when making deposit for a house

[Deleted User]

The OP did say the CHAPs payment could be frozen by NW, so lets hope that has happened.

I'm afraid 'a lot of people know' about this scam isn't true. Otherwise it wouldn't still be worthwhile trying to do it. The solicitor should have outlined that this can happen, the OP should have phoned the solicitor, yes.

I would suggest chasing up Nationwide for an update.

Mutton_Geoff

deannatrois wrote: »

I'm afraid 'a lot of people know' about this scam isn't true. Otherwise it wouldn't still be worthwhile trying to do it.

I don't agree. I've bought and sold 4 houses/flats in the last 3 years and on every occasion the (different) solicitors wrote warning of the scam and asked me to contact them if I received any emails asking to send money to a different account.


I suggest the OP may have missed this (or their solicitor was negligent not warning them) and must have received the scam email with new bank details since the solicitor would have provided bank details (and indeed the OP may have already paid the solicitor on account).


Many people don't read the full content of solicitors letters which is why the scammers can prosper. I hope the OP get's their money back.

buglawton

Even invoice PDF attachments from a solicitor can be hacked. I always phone a solicitor to tradesmen to reconfirm the last 4 or 6 digits of his account before making a large transfer.

The banks have been promising to add a name check to transfers for ages - promised implementation date has been endlessly put back.

ACG

On one of your sentences you said 15 days and on another you said 15 working days.

How many days were you told? 15 days or 15 working days?
How many days has it been?

Short of asking for an update though, I am not sure what else you can do. Complain?

MEM62

deannatrois wrote: »

I'm afraid 'a lot of people know' about this scam isn't true.

It is well known.

Murphybear

kinger101 wrote: »

I actually did the same - just because I was so paranoid about typing in a wrong digit. My solicitor said it's a common request.

I pay everyone online these days and every time I setup a new account I send them £1. It’s quite easy to mistype a number. The only people who didn’t like it very much were the council :rotfl:

This is one of the the best bits of advice on this

sillyhilly

It is more concerning, to me, that your Solicitors are sending bank details over email which is an insecure method of commnunication. This should either be completed via an online portal which requires your access, or through the post in correspondence. No way should it be via email.

Also, it is unlikely that the Solicitors emails have been hacked. It is most likely YOUR email, so I would be changing details pronto.

You should received all of your funds back. Nationwide are a signatory to the Authorised Push Payment Contingent Reimbursement Model / Code. My advice would be to chase them rather than wait for them - ultimately you're an exceptional circumstance given that you're contractually bound to make this payment, so they may look on you favourably.

kingstreet

Despite us not actually being involved in this type of transaction, a broker was hacked while in hospital and was unable to prevent it being used against him.

This is our wording;-

"Important Warning: Please be aware of cybercrime. Do not respond to emails asking you to pay money. Never make a payment purely in response to an email. Always call the company to validate any payment requests and check the phone number independently from the email (i.e. via a secure web site). If you receive a phone call asking for payment ensure you are satisfied the call is genuine, or else call the company back to check. Please note we will not take responsibility if you transfer money to a fraudster in error."

hazyjo

sillyhilly wrote: »

Also, it is unlikely that the Solicitors emails have been hacked. It is most likely YOUR email, so I would be changing details pronto.

Actually disagree in this particular instance - solicitors are targeted for the very reason they'll be dealing with large sums of money. The scams are very widely known - and most will warn against it - but we all think it won't happen to us.

comedyseeker123

sillyhilly wrote: »

It is more concerning, to me, that your Solicitors are sending bank details over email which is an insecure method of commnunication. This should either be completed via an online portal which requires your access, or through the post in correspondence. No way should it be via email.

Also, it is unlikely that the Solicitors emails have been hacked. It is most likely YOUR email, so I would be changing details pronto.

You should received all of your funds back. Nationwide are a signatory to the Authorised Push Payment Contingent Reimbursement Model / Code. My advice would be to chase them rather than wait for them - ultimately you're an exceptional circumstance given that you're contractually bound to make this payment, so they may look on you favourably.

I received the details over email as a PDF attachment.
I still called the solicitor to verbally get the account details and because I recgonised the voice and got the number mysef, I was confident it was ok. Looking back now yes the solicitor should have done the above.

I however don't think its his email, scammers are targeting the solicitor. My friend was sending money to China, same thing happened .