Information Is Obtained
A criminal compromises an email account, steals an identity or gathers transaction information from public and private sources.
IMPORTANT SECURITY INFORMATION
Real Estate Fraud & Wire Security Alert
Stop. Verify. Protect your money before sending funds or responding to unexpected closing instructions.
Criminals increasingly impersonate title companies, real estate professionals, lenders, buyers and sellers. Even a convincing message should be independently verified before you act.
BEFORE SENDING ANY MONEY
Never Rely on Wiring Instructions Received Only by Email
Call The Closing Agent using a trusted telephone number you obtained independently. Confirm the bank name, routing number, account number and recipient before authorizing a transfer.
Do not call a telephone number contained in an unexpected email, text message or revised set of wiring instructions.
UNDERSTANDING THE THREAT
Real Estate Transactions Are Attractive Targets for Fraud
Real estate closings involve personal information, important documents and large transfers of money. Criminals exploit the urgency and complexity of the transaction by impersonating people and companies you already trust.
A fraudulent message may contain accurate names, property information, transaction details, logos and signatures. It may even appear within an existing email conversation.
Familiar appearance does not prove that a communication is authentic. Independent verification remains essential.
HOW THE SCAM DEVELOPS
A Fraudulent Message Can Look Completely Legitimate
The Transaction Is Monitored
The fraudster may observe communications and wait until funds, documents or final instructions are expected.
A Trusted Party Is Impersonated
A fake email, telephone call, text message, document or online identity is created to resemble a legitimate participant.
Money or Property Is Redirected
The victim is instructed to send funds, change disbursement information, sign documents or transfer ownership.
COMMON REAL ESTATE SCHEMES
Fraud Can Target Buyers, Sellers and Property Owners
Be alert to any unexpected request involving money, identity, documents or changes to the transaction.
Fraudulent Wire Instructions
A criminal impersonates the title company or another participant and directs the buyer to send closing funds to a fraudulent account.
Email Account Compromise
A compromised account may allow a criminal to monitor communications and insert convincing messages into the transaction.
Seller-Proceeds Diversion
A fraudster impersonates the seller and attempts to change the bank account designated to receive sale proceeds.
Seller Impersonation
A criminal pretends to own a property—often vacant land, investment property or property owned by someone living elsewhere—and attempts to sell it without the true owner’s knowledge.
Fraudulent Payoffs or Releases
False payoff instructions, satisfactions or lien releases may be used to redirect money or conceal an existing debt.
Identity and Notary Fraud
Stolen identification, forged signatures or fraudulent notarizations may be used to sign or record unauthorized documents.
Voice, Video and AI Impersonation
Artificially generated voices, images, documents or video may be used to make an impersonation appear more convincing.
Fake Listings and Deposits
Criminals may advertise property they do not own and request deposits or personal information from prospective buyers or tenants.
RECOGNIZE THE WARNING SIGNS
Unexpected Urgency Is a Reason to Slow Down
Fraudulent communications often pressure the recipient to act quickly, avoid asking questions or depart from established procedures.
New or revised wiring instructions received by email
A last-minute change to the receiving bank or account
Pressure to act immediately or keep the request confidential
An email address that differs by one letter, number or symbol
A request to communicate only by email or text message
A seller who refuses to meet or complete identity verification
An unusually low price combined with pressure for a quick closing
Unusual grammar, formatting, signatures or telephone numbers
PROTECT YOUR CLOSING FUNDS
Five Steps Before Authorizing a Wire
Use a Trusted Telephone Number
Call the number you previously obtained from The Closing Agent’s official website, established correspondence or a known representative.
Verify Every Account Detail
Confirm the receiving bank, routing number, account number, account name and amount before sending funds.
Do Not Trust Changed Instructions
Treat any unexpected change to wiring or disbursement instructions as suspicious until independently verified.
Avoid Emailing Financial Information
Follow the secure information-delivery procedures provided by your closing team rather than sending sensitive details through ordinary email.
Confirm Receipt
After sending a wire, contact your Closing Agent representative using a trusted number to confirm that the funds were received.
SELLERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS
Protect Your Identity and Sale Proceeds
Fraud does not target only buyers. Sellers may be impersonated, and criminals may attempt to redirect sale proceeds or transfer property without authorization.
Expect your closing team to verify your identity and ownership. These safeguards protect you, the buyer and the integrity of the transaction.
Complete Identity Verification
Cooperate promptly with reasonable requests to verify identity, ownership and contact information.
Protect Disbursement Information
Do not send bank-account information through an unverified or unexpected email exchange.
Question Unexpected Documents
Contact your closing team before signing documents received outside the established transaction process.
Watch Vacant or Investment Property
Periodically review public records and property information for unauthorized listings, deeds or ownership changes.
ACT IMMEDIATELY
What to Do If Funds May Have Been Misdirected
Time is critical. Do not wait for an email response or attempt to investigate the matter yourself before notifying the appropriate parties.
Call Your Bank
Request an immediate wire recall and escalation to the bank’s fraud department.
Call The Closing Agent
Contact your known Closing Agent representative using a trusted telephone number.
Notify Other Participants
Inform your lender, real estate professional, attorney and other relevant transaction participants.
Report the Crime
File reports with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center and appropriate local law-enforcement agencies.
OUR APPROACH
Security Requires Procedures and Participation
The Closing Agent uses structured processes intended to reduce risk, verify identity, protect escrow funds and identify suspicious changes during the transaction.
No organization or technology can eliminate every threat. Security is strongest when buyers, sellers, real estate professionals, lenders and the closing team follow established procedures and communicate promptly.
Identity Verification
Procedures designed to help confirm the identities of transaction participants.
Secure Communication
Established channels for exchanging sensitive transaction information.
Wire Verification
Independent confirmation and review procedures involving fund transfers and disbursement instructions.
Escrow Controls
Structured practices for receiving, holding and disbursing closing funds.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Real Estate Fraud and Closing Security
Can I trust wiring instructions sent by email?
Never rely solely on emailed wiring instructions. Independently call The Closing Agent using a trusted telephone number and verbally verify all account information before sending funds.
What if the email appears to come from someone I know?
Email addresses can be compromised, copied or altered. A message may also contain accurate transaction information obtained through another compromised participant. Verify the request through a separate, trusted communication channel.
Will wiring instructions change immediately before closing?
An unexpected change should be treated as potentially fraudulent. Do not send funds until you have independently spoken with your known Closing Agent representative and confirmed the information.
How do criminals impersonate property sellers?
A criminal may use publicly available property information, stolen identification and remote communication to pretend to be the true owner. Vacant land and properties owned by someone living outside the area may receive additional attention from fraudsters.
Why am I being asked to verify my identity?
Identity verification helps protect the parties and reduce the risk of unauthorized property transfers, fraudulent documents and redirected funds.
What should I do if I clicked a suspicious link?
Stop communicating through the suspicious message, contact your closing team through a trusted channel and notify your email or technology provider. Change compromised passwords and enable multi-factor authentication where available.
Can stolen wire funds always be recovered?
No. Recovery is never guaranteed. Immediately contacting the bank, title company and law-enforcement authorities may improve the possibility of stopping or recalling the transfer.
WHEN SOMETHING DOES NOT FEEL RIGHT
Stop and Contact The Closing Agent
Never allow urgency, pressure or an unexpected message to override careful verification.
Important Security Information
The information provided on this page is for general fraud-awareness and educational purposes only. No security procedure, identity-verification process or technology can eliminate every risk of fraud.
Clients and transaction participants remain responsible for independently verifying instructions before transferring funds, signing documents or providing sensitive information.
The Closing Agent is a title insurance agency and settlement company and does not provide legal, financial, cybersecurity or law-enforcement advice. Contact the appropriate professionals and authorities regarding a suspected or confirmed incident.