How to verify wiring instructions by phone before sending
To avoid wire fraud at closing, call your settlement agent before you send closing funds, at a number you got on your own, and confirm the account name and number out loud. Never use contact details from an email, even one that looks right. If you've already sent money to a scammer, call your bank immediately for a wire recall.
How wire fraud at closing works
The typical scheme is simple. A criminal gets into or imitates the email of someone in your deal, then sends new wiring instructions just before closing. The message can use the real names, the real closing date and the right tone. Closing funds are an attractive target because the amounts are large and wires move fast.
The FBI's 2025 report describes two recent cases. A Missouri senior closing on a property got a compromised email from the "title company" with wire instructions for more than $1.3 million. A couple sent more than $449,000 after an email impersonated their attorneys, and they were fortunate: after a complaint to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, the receiving bank confirmed the full amount was still on hold.
When to set up your defense against wire fraud at closing
Set up your defense at the start of the deal, not on closing day. Choose two trusted contacts, such as your agent and settlement agent, and talk through how you'll get payment instructions. Get their numbers from a source you already trust. The CFPB also suggests agreeing on a code phrase. Then confirm by phone every time you receive instructions, and again if anything changes.
FBI numbers on real estate wire fraud
| FBI IC3 data | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real estate complaints | 9,521 | 9,359 | 12,368 |
| Real estate losses | About $145.2 million | About $173.6 million | About $275.1 million |
Read those with care. IC3's real estate category covers real estate investment losses and rental or timeshare fraud, so it doesn't count closing wires alone. Business email compromise is tracked separately. It is the scheme behind many fake closing emails, and it reached about $3 billion across all industries in 2025.
Speed can make a real difference. In 2025, IC3's Recovery Asset Team took on 3,900 incidents and froze about $679 million, which it reports as a 58% success rate. That's far from a guarantee, and those figures cover all kinds of fraud.
How to verify wiring instructions by phone
- Save trusted numbers early
Write down phone numbers for your agent and settlement agent from your contract, a business card or an office website you found yourself.
- Ask how instructions will arrive
Find out who will send them and how. Ask them to say up front that they won't change by email.
- Pause on any instructions
Don't act on emailed details, even from a known address. Don't click links or open attachments yet.
- Call and read it back
Call your saved number and confirm the bank, account name and account number digit by digit.
- Send the wire and keep the receipt
Ask your bank to check the details with you, and save the confirmation.
- Confirm receipt the same day
Call your saved number again and ask the settlement agent to confirm the funds arrived.
- If it's wrong, move fast
Call your bank's wire or fraud department and ask for a wire recall. Then file at ic3.gov with full transaction details, whatever the amount.
How to report wire fraud in your state
Reporting works the same across the country: your bank first, then ic3.gov. Who you should call to verify depends on how closings work in your area, since a title company, escrow office or attorney may hold the funds. Your state attorney general or local police may also take a report. Banks differ too. IC3 notes that each institution has its own policy on recalls, so ask yours what help it offers before you need it. If a large loss happens, speak with an attorney about your options.
Signs of fake wiring instructions
- Last-minute changes. Be suspicious of any email saying the account, bank or payment method has changed.
- Calls that confirm the fake. A scammer can give you a phone number that reaches a scammer. Use only numbers you collected yourself.
- Links and attachments in closing emails, until you've confirmed them with a trusted contact.
- Unexpected calls asking for financial details, even when the caller knows your closing date.
- Sending bank details by email. The CFPB says not to.
What homeowners say about wire fraud at closing
Scam emails often come from an address one letter off your lender's, agent's or attorney's, because those contacts get hacked. A poster in one thread confirmed in the replies that they had lost about $13,000 this way. (Reddit)
Closing wire fraud questions
Can you get a wire back after closing fraud?
Sometimes, especially if you act right away. Ask your bank for a recall immediately and file at ic3.gov, where the FBI's team may be able to help freeze the funds. There's no guarantee.
Do title companies change wiring instructions by email?
Treat any such email as suspicious. Always call a number you already trust before sending money, even if the message looks real.
How do I report wire fraud on a home purchase?
Call your bank first and ask for a wire recall. Then file a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov and include the full transaction details.
Sources: CFPB, FBI IC3, nar.realtor
General guidance for U.S. homes, not professional advice. For gas, electrical and structural work, call a licensed pro.