Scam category
Real estate wire fraud
Real estate wire fraud targets the largest financial transaction most people ever make. Scammers monitor email chains between buyers, agents, and title companies, then send spoofed wire instructions at the moment of closing. Victims wire their entire down payment to a criminal account, and the funds are typically moved offshore within hours.
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“real estate scam”
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- You receive last-minute changes to wire instructions via email, especially from a slightly different email address.
- The new wiring details route funds to a personal account rather than a corporate escrow account.
- You are pressured to send the wire immediately to avoid delaying the closing date.
Common searches
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closing wire instruction hijack scam
Hackers intercept or spoof emails between homebuyers and title companies, sending fraudulent wire instructions that redirect the closing funds to a criminal's account.
Always verify wire instructions by calling the title company at a phone number from their official website — never from the email itself.
Homebuyers
U.S.
title company impersonation scam
Scammers create fake email addresses and websites that closely mimic a real title company, sending buyers fraudulent closing documents and wire instructions.
Verify the sender's exact email domain character by character before acting on any wire instructions.
Homebuyers
U.S.
down payment redirect scam
A fraudulent email intercepted during a real estate transaction redirects the buyer's down payment to a criminal's account by providing altered wiring details.
Never wire money based solely on email instructions — always confirm by phone using a known, verified number.
Homebuyers
U.S.
earnest money theft scam
Scammers intercept real estate communications and send fake instructions for the earnest money deposit early in the transaction, stealing funds before closing even begins.
Verify earnest money instructions directly with your real estate agent and the escrow company by phone.
Homebuyers
U.S.
real estate agent email compromise scam
Hackers breach a real estate agent's email account and use it to send fraudulent wire instructions to the agent's active clients, leveraging the trusted relationship.
Always verify financial instructions through a separate communication channel — call your agent on their known phone number.
Homebuyers
U.S.
escrow account phishing scam
Scammers send phishing emails disguised as escrow account login pages, capturing credentials that allow them to redirect funds or steal transaction information.
Never click login links in emails — navigate directly to the escrow company's website by typing the URL.
Homebuyers
U.S.
mortgage payoff redirect scam
Scammers intercept mortgage payoff communications and redirect the final payment to a fraudulent account, stealing the homeowner's entire remaining mortgage balance.
Verify mortgage payoff wire instructions by calling the lender directly at the number on your mortgage statement.
Homebuyers
U.S.
property tax payment redirect scam
Scammers send fake property tax notices directing homeowners to pay overdue or delinquent taxes to a fraudulent account, often threatening liens or penalties for non-payment.
Verify any tax notice by contacting your county tax assessor's office directly using the number from their official website.
Homebuyers
U.S.
HOA fee redirect scam
Scammers impersonate a homeowners association and send emails with updated payment instructions, redirecting HOA dues to a criminal's account.
Verify any payment change by contacting your HOA management company or board president directly by phone.
Homebuyers
U.S.
real estate attorney impersonation scam
Scammers impersonate the buyer's or seller's real estate attorney, sending fraudulent wire instructions for closing funds from an email that closely resembles the attorney's real address.
Verify all wire instructions by calling your attorney at the number on their business card or official website.
Homebuyers
U.S.
Zillow Offers impersonator scam
Scammers impersonate the discontinued Zillow Offers program, contacting homeowners with unsolicited purchase offers and requesting personal financial details or upfront fees to proceed.
Be aware that Zillow Offers was shut down in November 2021 — any offer claiming to be from this program is fraudulent.
Homeowners
U.S.
Zillow fake open house RSVP scam
A phishing email or listing promotes a fake open house event for an attractive property, collecting personal information through a fraudulent RSVP form.
Verify open houses directly with the listing agent by calling the number on their brokerage website.
Homebuyers
U.S.
Zillow Zestimate manipulation scam
Scammers claim they can artificially inflate a home's Zestimate value on Zillow for a fee, which is impossible since Zestimates are algorithmically generated and cannot be manually altered.
Understand that Zestimates are algorithmically generated and cannot be manually inflated by third parties.
Homeowners
U.S.
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