A law firm has been attacked by cyber hackers which intercepted and amended communications from the firm.

It is believed that the scammers have seized a genuine email from the law practice and have amended it to include a request for the recipient to transfer money into an external bank account.

The email was sent from klallen.cozens-hardy@groupmail.com.

The Norwich-based family law specialist, Cozens-Hardy, and its employee Kathryn Allen have confirmed that it has no connection to the emails sent from klallen.cozens-hardy@groupmail.com.

An SRA spokesman today condemned the hackers and urged both the firm and the public to be on their toes.

He said: “We are always urging people to be aware of the increasing threat posed by cyber-crime.

“The SRA is always looking to raise awareness of this particular threat and we would urge anyone who finds themselves involved to report instances to us immediately.

The SRA noted in the warning which was published on Tuesday: “When a firm's or individual's identity has been copied exactly (or cloned), due diligence is necessary.

“If you receive correspondence claiming to be from the above firm(s) or individual(s), or information of a similar nature to that described, you should conduct your own due diligence by checking the authenticity of the correspondence by contacting the law firm directly by reliable and established means.

Cozens-Hardy has worked with small businesses and private individuals for more than a century.

It employs more than 60 lawyers across a range of legal sectors including, property, company and landlord law.