Avoid Email Fraud!
Stop - Think - Verify
If you’re on fire, Stop, Drop and Roll. If you detect the spark of a fraudster attempting to divert funds on your file – Stop, Think and Verify.
Now, more than ever, you should be wary about fraudulent attempts to divert funds from your file or your client’s. With many people working from home, the opportunity for fraudsters to infiltrate, what used to be a mostly in-person type of transaction, has now moved online via the internet and webcams.
Review Your Account Settings! Periodically check your Sent folder to be sure emails aren’t being sent or forwarded without your knowledge.
Fraudsters are getting good at creating trojan horses; do not let them behind the walls of your deal!
Fraudsters often use compromised email accounts to deceive parties involved in real estate transactions in order to misappropriate funds through unauthorized wire transfers or to obtain non-public personal information (NPI)
Red Flags:
Requests using the word “kindly”
Generic or non-personal greetings
Unusual/unnecessary sense of urgency
Offers too good to be true
Poor spelling and grammar
Email asking that you click a hyperlink
Spoofed emails; check domain names: Jane@company.com vs. Jane@AOL.com Hover over the From: section of your email to reveal full email address, or domain imposter
If you suspect the From: address is fraudulent, utilize a header analyzer to verify the identity of the sender.
Customers or colleagues are receiving “spam” messages from your account
Receive replies to emails you didn’t send
Your account settings are configured to forward emails to unknown addresses
The above information is courtesy of First American Title. First American Title is an Underwriter for All American Title Company.