Contents
  1. Critical Warning
  2. How It Happens
  3. Protect Yourself
  4. Red Flags
  5. If You Are a Victim
  6. Our Policy

Section 01 —  Critical Warning: Wire Fraud is Real

Section 02 — How Wire Fraud Schemes Work

Fraudsters use a technique called Business Email Compromise (BEC) to intercept real estate transactions:

  • 1 A criminal hacks or spoofs the email account of an agent, title company, attorney, or lender involved in your transaction.
  • 2 They monitor communications to learn your closing date, amount, and parties involved.
  • 3 Shortly before closing, they send a convincing email — appearing to be from a trusted party — with fraudulent wire instructions directing your funds to a criminal-controlled account.
  • 4 Once the wire is sent, the funds are nearly impossible to recover.

Section 03 — How to Protect Your Transaction

Always follow these steps before wiring any funds:

  • 1 Call to verify — every time. Before wiring any funds, call your title company or closing attorney using a phone number you obtained independently — not from the email you received.
  • 2 Never trust email alone. Do not rely solely on email instructions for wire transfers, even from someone you know.
  • 3 Treat any change in instructions as a red flag. Call immediately to verify before acting.
  • 4 Confirm every digit. Read back the full account number and routing number to the person you called.
  • 5 Check the sender’s email carefully. Fraudulent emails often use addresses nearly identical to legitimate ones — look for subtle misspellings.

Section 04 — Warning Signs of Wire Fraud

Stop and call immediately if you see any of these:

An email claiming wiring instructions have changed
Last-minute changes to closing date or location
Pressure to wire funds quickly
Requests to keep the wire confidential
Slightly misspelled email addresses
Instructions to wire to an unfamiliar or out-of-state account
 If Anything Feels Off

Stop. Do not wire. Call (715) 812-1135 or your title company directly using a number you independently verified. It is always better to delay a closing than to lose your funds.

Section 05 — If You Suspect Fraud Has Occurred

Act immediately — speed is critical when attempting to recover wired funds:

  • 1 Call your bank immediately and request a recall of the wire transfer. Every minute matters.
  • 2 File a complaint with the FBI at ic3.gov (Internet Crime Complaint Center).
  • 3 Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
  • 4 Contact local law enforcement and file a police report.
  • 5 Notify your real estate agent and title company immediately.

Section 06 — Visions First Realty, LLC Wire Transfer Policy

Our Commitment to You

Protecting Your Transaction

All wire transfer instructions in a real estate transaction come from your title company or closing attorney — not from your real estate agent. Always verify those instructions by calling the title company directly, using a phone number you obtained independently.

We are committed to educating every client about wire fraud risks and to flagging anything suspicious we observe in your transaction. If something doesn’t feel right, contact us and we will help you verify with the appropriate party.

When in Doubt

Always call your title company or closing attorney directly using a phone number you independently verified — not a number from an email — before sending any wire transfer.

Questions? Contact Visions First Realty

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