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Let’s Talk About Wire Fraud 

May 5, 2025

Because no one should lose their home before they even get the keys.  

We’re big believers in communication, honest advice, and looking out for people before they even know they need looking out for. We know that wire fraud is one of the biggest threats in real estate even though it doesn’t make headlines every day.  

Here’s a scenario – A family is getting ready to close on their home. They’re nervous, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed. They get an email that looks legit, sounds professional with updated wiring instructions. They send their funds. They show up to closing only to find out the money is gone.  

Gone gone. Not delayed. Not misrouted. Just vanished.  

It wasn’t their agent. It wasn’t the attorney. It was a scammer posing as the closing attorney, slipping in at just the right moment with just enough believability to do some real damage.  

Wire fraud isn’t new, but criminals are getting more savvy. These scammers aren’t just guessing email addresses, they are also hacking into them. They sit quietly, reading the threads, waiting for just the right moment to send their version of “updated wiring instructions”. And by the time anyone realizes what happened, the money is in a foreign account with no trail. 

And unfortunately, everyone involved in real estate is at risk:  

  • Buyers, especially first timers 
  • Real estate agents and brokers 
  • Closing attorneys and title companies 
  • Anyone handling sensitive information over email  

So, what can you do? 
Here’s our best advice from years of helping people get to the closing table 

  1. DON’T TRUST WIRING INSTRUCTIONS THAT COME BY EMAIL  – even if it looks right, even if it says “Urgent”. Pick up the phone and call us (or the title company) using a number you already had- not the one they provide in the email.  
  1. TALK ABOUT THIS EARLY IN THE PROCESS – agents have a lot on their plates, but it’s worth taking a few minutes to explain the process to your clients.  
  1. USE SECURE COMMUNICATION TOOLS – try not to send sensitive information via email like account numbers or social security numbers. If you’re not sure if something is safe to send, call us.  
  1. BE SUSPICIOUS OF LAST MINUTE CHANGES – wiring instructions rarely change. If you get something that looks “off” it probably is.  

If you ever have a question, even if it feels silly, we’re just a phone call away.