Gransnet forums

Technology

Scary fraudsters

(31 Posts)
EllanVannin Wed 06-Feb-19 14:54:18

I can believe that too Badenkate !!

Pippa000 Wed 06-Feb-19 14:53:55

I was nearly caught out this way when I was buying my house, The fraudsters copied all the details from my solicitors website, even the names of the conveyancing solicitors. They even had my name and the town in which my new house is situated. The only clue was that the bank details they gave were slightly, and only very slightly different from the ones on the Letter of Engagement I received. The advice I was given is that no solicitor would e-mail and ask for funds to be transferred, if in doubt phone or visit your solicitor first.

Badenkate Wed 06-Feb-19 13:48:11

That's exactly who they do employ EllenVannin.

EllanVannin Wed 06-Feb-19 13:32:54

Set a thief to catch a thief !

EllanVannin Wed 06-Feb-19 13:31:46

I don't bank online because my thoughts have always been that the fraudsters are one step ahead of banks and those who try to deter the worst from happening.
They're far more savvy when it comes to looking/seeing loopholes and weaknesses in any system.
You've only to look at statistics of fraud and the vast amounts that members of the public have lost to scams etc.

Technology is a curse in many areas of business.
If a kid can hack into the White House, then anything is possible. They should use these guys to catch the hackers, hahaha.

Jane10 Wed 06-Feb-19 10:56:22

I was talking to an IFA yesterday and he was telling me about some sophisticated new scams. Apparently hackers hack into emails to solicitors firms. These emails are often about large sums eg house sales or wills etc. The hacker then alters the email from a client to their solicitor to include new bank details and addresses ie theirs not the real clients. They use sophisticated algorithms to mirror exactly the clients usual forms of writing so look convincing. Proceeds from house sale etc then transferred to the hackers account. Nasty stuff. Obviously firms are on to this already and are taking steps to warn their clients etc but its a far cry from the old ones about 'Nigerian Princes' leaving us a fortune!