Special offer
Jeff Pearl, Full Service Full Time Realtor (RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA)

Spam prevention
Rainmaker
1,847,781
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

This keeps happening over & over again. They should think of a different way to get this done securely.

Dec 05, 2017 12:45 PM
Ambassador
6,425,548
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Plenty of people out there with more money than brains, that is why these scammers keep at it.

Dec 05, 2017 05:38 PM
Rainmaker
1,057,564
Candice A. Donofrio
Next Wave RE Investments LLC Bullhead City AZ Commercial RE Broker - Fort Mohave, AZ
928-201-4BHC (4242) call/text

Oh my God. Is this real?

Dec 05, 2017 03:18 PM
Rainmaker
4,584,546
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Just when federals workers were getting a reputation for their great insight...something horrible like this happens....

Dec 05, 2017 02:12 PM
Rainer
509,449
Susie Kay
Ultra Real Estate Dallas Fort Worth - Plano, TX
North Dallas Specialist

This is terrible and yet many people just don't understand that they have to be careful when sending any money.  I always tell my client to call the title company to confirm the wiring instruction.

Dec 05, 2017 01:15 PM
Rainmaker
3,988,013
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

I tell my clients to never wire money without talking directly to the title company and verifying the instructions.

Dec 05, 2017 07:10 PM
Ambassador
3,168,134
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

I tell all clients to call and verify before the wire funds.  I tell them over and over.

Dec 05, 2017 06:33 PM
Ambassador
2,684,769
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

  A judge in Manhattan got taken for $1,000,000 a few months ago; same scam.  What are these people thinking?

Dec 05, 2017 05:32 PM
Rainmaker
2,222,281
Anthony Acosta - ALLATLANTAcondos.com
Harry Norman, REALTORS® - Atlanta, GA
Associate Broker

Dec 05, 2017 03:53 PM
Rainmaker
1,712,876
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

Hopefully not too many people fell off the turnip truck.

Dec 05, 2017 02:15 PM
Rainmaker
2,785,606
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

In todays wolf in sheeps clothing world, verify and confirm then act

Dec 05, 2017 02:10 PM
Rainer
376,987
Libby Cousins
Extraordinary Processing - Spokane, WA
Contract Mortgage Processor, licensed in WA

Wow! Dealing with that kind of money, there is no way that I would wire based on an email. Our local title companies have this warning at the bottom of their emails:

**Be aware! Online banking fraud is on the rise.  If you receive an email containing WIRE TRANSFER INSTRUCTIONS call your escrow officer immediately to verify the information prior to sending funds**

Dec 05, 2017 12:53 PM
Rainmaker
717,085
Lynnea Miller
Bend Premier Real Estate - Bend, OR
Premier Real Estate Service in Central Oregon

Our local title companies are so up on this latest scam. It is awful these people were taken.

Dec 05, 2017 12:31 PM
Rainmaker
3,416,038
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

People are so trusting and hence the reason for the scam. This is why i have to tell my buyers to actually talk to the closing company confirm and confirm again. 

Dec 05, 2017 12:22 PM
Rainmaker
679,404
Diana Dahlberg
1 Month Realty - Pleasant Prairie, WI
Real Estate in Kenosha, WI since 1994 262-308-3563

Just plain foolish ... 

Dec 05, 2017 12:10 PM
Rainmaker
5,246,506
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

You just can't fix stupid as they say!

Dec 05, 2017 12:09 PM
Rainmaker
4,907,547
Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
REALTOR®, Broker

Stupid is as stupid does - Forest Gump

Dec 05, 2017 12:06 PM
Rainmaker
5,117,028
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Unfortunately, this is too frequent an occurence these days, even if the amounts are smaller. I tell all my clients throughout a transaction that (a) I will not send them money transfer instructions and (b) if/when they receive them, they must call the settlement attorney to verify that the instructions came from them. It's just commons sense these days... sort of like have anti-virus, strong passwords, not opening unknown attachements, etc.

Dec 06, 2017 04:10 AM
Ambassador
5,258,356
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

This has happened here as well - all clients are told not to wire until they hear my voice on the phone and we will review the wiring instructions with the attorney's paralegal, TOGETHER, as sent to them in an encrypted email.

Dec 05, 2017 08:47 PM
Rainmaker
1,753,413
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

That scam is getting to be a big deal now days. I see a lot of local Realtors who have a line in their signature line warning people about wiring funs. 

Dec 05, 2017 05:24 PM
Ambassador
2,459,733
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

So sad

Dec 05, 2017 04:37 PM
Rainmaker
5,583,328
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

what a frightening story.... another reason that I would never get a mortgage from an online source....  I've bought alot of houses and they were all financed from local institutions .... I had local banks and one mortgage company that I used.... one on one with the mortgage officer... local attorneys were used....closing at the registry of deeds to be recorded immediately....

Dec 05, 2017 12:40 PM
Rainmaker
5,773,361
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Wow!  What can you say?

Dec 05, 2017 12:11 PM
Rainmaker
7,871,264
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Thanks for sharing this link.

Dec 05, 2017 12:02 PM
Rainmaker
1,625,253
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

What is scary for me about it: ''The couple, both federal workers,''

Dec 06, 2017 04:33 PM
Rainmaker
1,507,073
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

Yes, I can believe it.  People don't look for the signs and don't think to check.  Out here we all sign a "Wire Fraud Advisory" form.  The state thinks it helps.  People sign it and never read it.

Dec 06, 2017 09:35 AM
Rainmaker
599,734
Nathan Gesner
American West Realty and Management - Cody, WY
Broker / Property Manager

Gullible people come in all shapes and sizes. It's too bad.

Dec 06, 2017 05:55 AM
Rainmaker
760,035
Peter Testa
Nationwide Homes - Danbury, CT
PETER TESTA

Not everyone is as aware of these scams as most of us are. I feel bad for those who aren't in the know. 

Dec 06, 2017 04:58 AM
Rainmaker
3,986,308
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

This would make me nervous

Dec 05, 2017 08:32 PM
Rainmaker
1,466,257
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Jeff Pearl This is unbelievable, but I have heard of this before. Verify, verify and verify.

Dec 06, 2017 07:03 AM
Rainmaker
4,800,132
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Before I wired that amount of money, I would get on the phone and call.

Dec 06, 2017 06:27 AM
Rainmaker
902,538
Olga Simoncelli
Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate - New Fairfield, CT
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management

I've heard of these scams and they are real. Can't be too careful.

Dec 06, 2017 06:23 AM
Rainmaker
4,434,177
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

No.

Dec 06, 2017 03:01 AM
Rainmaker
3,071,589
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Coldwell Banker Realty

Lyn Sims nailed this one!

Dec 06, 2017 03:00 AM
Rainmaker
4,967,502
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

I keep hearding about this happening.

 

Dec 09, 2017 10:54 AM
Rainmaker
5,879,816
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Wire transfers have been an issue for a while, and title and agents should be very aware of how they are done.

Dec 08, 2017 07:20 AM
Rainmaker
222,593
Foster Smith Summerville
Carolina One Real Estate - Summerville, SC
Summerville & Charleston Homes for Sale SC Realtor

This is horrific!

Jan 04, 2018 04:30 AM
Rainmaker
542,913
Sean Casey
Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate - Newark, DE
Greenville, Hockessin, Newark & Bear Homes

Unfortunately, I believe that.  It's a shame to see people taken advantage of like that.  

Dec 09, 2017 03:37 PM