Real estate wire fraud is on the rise, with scammers intercepting or impersonating escrow instructions to steal large sums of money—often a buyer’s entire down payment.

Protect yourself with these steps:

• Always verify wiring instructions by phone—call your escrow officer at a known number

• Never click links or download attachments in unexpected emails

• Look for red flags like misspelled email addresses or urgent last-minute changes

• Set up a verbal passcode with your escrow company for all financial communication

When in doubt, pause and confirm. Once funds are wired to the wrong place, they’re almost impossible to recover.