Here is a warning from the Fraud Squad, which is particularly important for people buying or selling a property, as they may be asked to transfer funds – often sizeable – to their solicitor.

There has apparently been a sharp rise in the number of fraudulent emails allegedly coming from your solicitor telling you that their bank details have changed and that you should transfer money to the new account instead.

As you can imagine, the emails appear totally genuine, using realistic email addresses, as well as the relevant logos, etc. It's not just large sums of money that are asking for, it could be a few hundred pounds for searches for example.

The advice is to ignore the email and to not pay, but to check, by phone or in person, with your solicitor before parting with any cash.

You should also report the email by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud or by calling 0300 123 2040.

For further information please check these websites:

• www.actionfraud.police.uk/news-fraudsters-hacking-into-emails-to-divert-house-purchase-payments-jul16
• www.cifas.org.uk/blogs/buying_a_property