Over the last decade, real estate transactions have increasingly become a prime target for cybercrime. Far from slowing down, the scams are becoming more prevalent, sophisticated, and difficult to recognize as fraudulent. With October being Cybersecurity Awareness Month, it is important that the real estate industry and consumers speak up and spread the word about how to prevent these real estate cybercrimes.
Real estate wire fraud—a scam in which a buyer is tricked into wiring funds to a fraudster—has surged as home prices have risen. Through a technique called phishing, a fraudster will collect private information through a website form, email, or phone call. They will then use that information to monitor the consumer’s email account and identify if they are buying a home. If a consumer is in the homebuying process, the fraudster will send false wiring instructions to the homebuyer ahead of closing—often appearing as if they are from a trusted representative in the transaction.
FBI data shows that scams in real estate deals have skyrocketed over the last 10 years from under $9 million in losses in 2015 to $446 million in 2022. While consumer education has increased significantly in recent years, CertifID’s 2024 State of Wire Fraud Report found that approximately half of consumers do not report being adequately aware of the risk of real estate wire fraud.
How consumers can protect themselves
Consumers can proactively take measures to protect themselves from real estate wire fraud. First, wiring instructions should always be confirmed in person or via phone with a known number before funds are transferred.
If wiring instructions are emailed, be on the lookout for changes to the expected email address, such as the addition or deletion of one or more characters. Any instructions labeled “urgent,” “secret,” or “confidential” should also be heavily scrutinized.
Consumers should also avoid emailing financial information, such as bank account numbers. If financial information is requested on a website, make sure the site is a trusted URL that begins with “https.”
To prevent fraudsters from getting access to your email account, consumers should be cautious of opening attachments or downloading links from suspicious emails. Keeping an operating system browser and security software up to date can also help ensure suspicious emails are flagged.
What to do if you or someone you falls victim
If you suspect that you are a victim of real estate wire fraud, acting quickly is critical. Immediately contact your financial institution and request that they contact the financial institution where the transfer was directed.
Next, contact a local FBI office, who will help you access or freeze the funds fraudulently transferred. Finally, you should file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov.
What the title industry Is doing
It has been a longstanding priority for the title industry to increase awareness and identification of real estate wire fraud. Through consumer warnings on websites and email communications, preparedness tools, and other educational resources, the title industry is committed to thwarting these scams.
In addition to education, industry mitigation efforts are working. According to an ALTA survey, in 2022, 26% of title companies reported that they were able to recover the total amount of funds incorrectly transferred due to fraud compared to only 17% in 2021. Additionally, two thirds of companies reported recovering more than half of the stolen funds.
Collaboration between the real estate industry and federal agencies is also key to addressing the issue. The title industry works closely with financial institutions and the FBI to help recover incorrectly transferred funds. Additionally, by working with industry and federal partners, it is easier to identify perpetrators and dismantle their organizations.
From putting a warning on an email signature to working with government agencies to identify those committing fraud, real estate professionals can protect consumers, and their hard-earned savings, from bad actors.
Diane Tomb is CEO of the American Land Title Association.
This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of HousingWire’s editorial department and its owners.
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