Protect Your Closing Funds
Wire Fraud Protection Guide: How to Keep Your Money Safe at Closing
Wire fraud is the fastest-growing crime targeting real estate transactions in the United States. This guide explains how it works, how to spot it, and exactly what Platinum Title & Escrow does to protect your closing funds.
What You Need to Know
Why Every Nevada Home Buyer and Seller Needs This Wire Fraud Protection Guide
This Wire Fraud Protection Guide is written for buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals closing transactions in Nevada. Wire fraud targeting real estate closings has cost Americans hundreds of millions of dollars — and unlike most financial crimes, the funds are rarely recovered once transferred.
The attack is simple, effective, and devastating: a criminal intercepts your email communication, impersonates your escrow officer or real estate agent, and sends you fraudulent wiring instructions. You wire your down payment or closing proceeds to a criminal's account. The money is gone within minutes.
Platinum Title & Escrow has strict wire fraud prevention protocols in place for every transaction we close. This guide explains what those protocols are — and what you must do to protect yourself.
Know the Threat
How Wire Fraud Targets Real Estate Closings
The Criminals Gain Access
Fraudsters target email accounts of real estate agents, escrow officers, buyers, and sellers. Through phishing attacks, data breaches, or compromised email servers, they gain read access to ongoing transaction communications — often monitoring for weeks before striking.
They Wait for the Right Moment
The attack is timed for maximum impact — typically 24 to 72 hours before closing, when wire transfers are being arranged and urgency is high. Criminals know buyers are stressed, moving fast, and less likely to question instructions that appear to come from a trusted source.
The Fraudulent Email Arrives
You receive an email that appears to be from your escrow officer or agent. The sender name looks correct. The email signature looks identical. The message explains that wiring instructions have changed — and provides a new bank account number. The urgency is real. The instructions are fake.
The Wire Is Sent
You wire your funds — down payment, closing costs, or sale proceeds — to the criminal's account. Within minutes the money is transferred again, often internationally. Recovery is extremely rare.
Protect Yourself
Wire Fraud Warning Signs Every Buyer and Seller Should Know
Any Change to Wiring Instructions
Legitimate escrow companies do not change wiring instructions mid-transaction. If you receive an email saying wiring instructions have changed — stop. Do not wire anything. Call your escrow officer directly at a phone number you have independently verified.
Urgency and Pressure
Fraudulent emails almost always create artificial urgency — "wire immediately," "closing is at risk," "funds must be received today." Legitimate closing instructions do not pressure you to act without verification.
Slight Email Address Variations
Look carefully at the sender's email address — not just the display name. Fraudsters use addresses like JFitzgerald@Platinum-Titlees.net or JFitzgerald@PlatinumTitle.net that look correct at a glance but are fake domains.
Requests to Keep Instructions Confidential
No legitimate escrow officer will ever ask you to keep wiring instructions confidential or to not discuss them with your agent or lender.
Last-Minute Instructions
Be especially cautious of wiring instructions received after business hours, on weekends, or in the final 24 hours before closing.
The Rules
Five Rules That Will Protect Your Closing Funds
Always Call to Verify
Before wiring any funds, call your escrow officer directly to verbally confirm the wiring instructions. Use a phone number you obtained independently — from the escrow company's official website or a business card — not a number provided in the email you are verifying.
Never Wire Based Solely on Email
Email is not a secure channel for transmitting wiring instructions. Treat any wiring instructions received by email as unverified until you have confirmed them by phone with your escrow officer.
Verify the Exact Account Number
When you call to verify, read back the full account number and routing number digit by digit. Confirm every number matches exactly.
Be Suspicious of Any Changes
If wiring instructions change for any reason — even a plausible-sounding explanation — treat it as a red flag. Call your escrow officer, your real estate agent, and if necessary your lender before taking any action.
Act Immediately If You Suspect Fraud
If you believe you have wired funds to a fraudulent account, call your bank immediately and ask them to issue a recall. Call your escrow officer. File a report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov. Time is critical — every minute matters.
How We Protect You
Platinum Title & Escrow's Wire Fraud Prevention Protocols
We take wire fraud seriously. Here is what Platinum Title & Escrow does on every transaction to protect your funds:
We Provide Wiring Instructions Early
We provide wiring instructions at the beginning of the transaction — not at the last minute — so you have time to verify them carefully without pressure.
We Never Change Wiring Instructions by Email Alone
If wiring instructions ever need to change, we will call you directly to confirm before any email is sent. We will never ask you to act on new wiring instructions received only by email.
We Verbally Confirm Before Every Wire
Our escrow officers call clients directly to confirm wiring instructions before funds are sent. We encourage you to call us back at (702) 498-4782 to double-verify.
We Educate Every Client
Every Platinum Title & Escrow client receives wire fraud awareness information at the opening of escrow — not just at closing when urgency is highest.
Our Official Wiring Instructions Come From:
JFitzgerald@Platinum-Title.net (702) 498-4782 www.TimeToGoPlatinum.com
If you receive wiring instructions from any other email address or domain, do not wire — call us immediately.
Common Questions
Wire Fraud Protection Guide: Frequently Asked Questions
How common is wire fraud in real estate?
Wire fraud targeting real estate transactions is one of the fastest-growing financial crimes in the United States. The FBI reports that real estate wire fraud results in hundreds of millions of dollars in losses annually — and the numbers continue to grow as transactions increasingly rely on email communication.
Can I get my money back if I am a victim of wire fraud?
Recovery is extremely rare. Once funds are wired to a fraudulent account they are typically transferred again within minutes — often internationally. Your best protection is prevention. If you act immediately upon discovering fraud — within the same business day — there is a small chance your bank can issue a recall, but it is not guaranteed.
What should I do if I receive suspicious wiring instructions?
Stop. Do not wire anything. Call your escrow officer directly at a phone number you have independently verified — not a number provided in the suspicious email. Report suspicious emails to your escrow officer and real estate agent immediately.
Does Platinum Title & Escrow ever change wiring instructions by email?
We will never ask you to act on changed wiring instructions received only by email. If wiring instructions need to change for any reason, we will call you directly to confirm before any email communication is sent.
Who should I call if I think I have been a victim of wire fraud?
Call your bank immediately and ask them to issue a wire recall. Call Platinum Title & Escrow at (702) 498-4782. File a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov. Contact your real estate agent. Act immediately — every minute matters.
Close with Confidence
Have Questions About Your Closing? Call Us Directly.
Platinum Title & Escrow is a locally owned Nevada title and escrow company serving Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin, North Las Vegas, and Boulder City. Every transaction we close is protected by our wire fraud prevention protocols — and every client gets a dedicated escrow officer from contract to closing.
July Fitzgerald, Senior Escrow Officer — (702) 498-4782 | JFitzgerald@Platinum-Title.net | Las Vegas Office: 8778 S. Maryland Pkwy, Suite 115, Las Vegas, NV 89123 | Boulder City Office: 833 Nevada Way, Suite 2, Boulder City, NV 89005