‘Friday afternoon fraud’: warning for UK homebuyers on bank scams
UK homebuyers are being warned about 'Friday afternoon fraud,' a scam where criminals intercept email chains between buyers and solicitors to divert property deposits. These phishing attacks often occur at the end of the week to exploit the urgency of closing a home sale.
Why it matters
This highlights a growing financial security risk in the real estate sector, with victims losing significant sums of money.
Conveyancing fraud tends to take place at the end of a home sale. Conveyancing fraud tends to take place at the end of a home sale. Scam watch Property ‘Friday afternoon fraud’: warning for UK homebuyers on bank scams Victims have lost tens of thousands – and in one case £300,000 – due to fake emails from solicitor or estate agent
Hilary Osborne Sun 23 Aug 2026 02.00 EDT Last modified on Sun 23 Aug 2026 05.06 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google Y ou are poised to move house and are awaiting the solicitor’s instructions that things are ready to go and it is time to hand over your deposit. When the email arrives giving you their bank details, you set up the transfer and move the cash. And then the solicitor calls to ask where the money is.
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