Crime | Posted on July 31st, 2024 | return to news
Watch out for home buying scam, warn Dorset Police
Buying a new home can be hard, but now Dorset Police are warning that fraudsters are tricking people into sending money to the wrong place.
We all know that buying a new home can be fraught with problems, but fraud probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.
However, Dorset Police are warning that fraudsters are tricking people into sending money to the wrong place.
This is what is happening.
Scammers hack emails between house buyers and solicitors. They then monitor the email and watch and wait for when people are about to pay money. Subsequently they send fake emails telling people where to send their money.
Sometimes they even call the house buyers pretending to be their solicitor.
Scammers take advantage of the time-sensitivity in completion. They push people to send money quickly without checking if they’re sending it to the right place.
People are losing an average of £47,000 to these scams, but some people have lost over £250,000.
Although everyone is at risk, first-time buyers are particularly susceptible.
Scammers trick people by breaking into email accounts, faking email addresses that look real, pretending to be the person’s solicitor on the phone and trying to make the house buyer to act quickly without checking.
The police have this advice if you think you have been scammed.
Call your bank right away and ask them to stop the payment; report it to Action Fraud; change all your passwords and add extra security to your accounts; keep checking your bank account and credit report for anything odd.
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