Separate professional status from the contact channel

A professional register helps you check a practitioner’s status. It does not authenticate every email, phone call or attachment using that person’s name. Treat the professional check and the contact-channel check as two tasks, and resolve inconsistencies before sending private material.

Compare the full practice name, the person responsible and the contact details you independently locate. If a directory says contact information is under review, use an official professional body or another independently established route to clarify the identity. A listing should be a starting point for verification, not a shortcut around it.

Pause when payment instructions change

Payment-redirection scams can imitate a legitimate business relationship. An unexpected instruction to use a new account deserves an independent check, even if it appears in an existing email conversation. Contact the practice through a number you have established separately, rather than a number supplied only in the message you are questioning.

Scamwatch recommends checking payment details directly using independently sourced contact information. Do not let urgency replace that check. If you have already paid and suspect a scam, contact your bank immediately and follow the current Scamwatch reporting guidance.

Reference: Scamwatch — business email compromise and payment redirection ↗

Agree how documents should be shared

Begin an enquiry with a short description, the names needed for a conflict check and any known date that needs attention. Ask the confirmed office what material it needs and which transfer method it uses before sending an entire file. A publicly available upload link should not be assumed to be the right place for sensitive documents.

If an email contains an unfamiliar attachment or link, confirm its purpose through an established channel before using it. Keep original records intact. Ask how the practice wants large files, identity documents or material involving other people to be handled; this is a practical security question, not an inconvenience to apologise for.

Keep an enquiry record you can refer to

Record the date, the person you spoke to and the next step they confirmed. For a payment query, record that you checked the instructions through an independently established channel without publishing account details in your comparison notes. Store sensitive information securely and avoid unnecessary copies across shared devices.

Good presentation is useful, but it is not proof of identity. This website’s branding, external links and profile layout do not independently verify a practice’s contact details. The useful outcome of your checks is a clear, confirmed route to the intended provider and an understanding of what they have actually agreed to receive or do.