Wire Watch: Stopping Closing-Day Wire Fraud Before It Burns Your Escrow

When a closing-day email pretended to be from the title company and asked the buyer to wire funds to a different account, the deal nearly collapsed and earnest money was at risk. In this 10-minute episode Matthew Halliday walks listeners through a real incident, then breaks down three practical, non-technical defenses: how to verify wiring instructions every time, secure communication habits for escrow teams, and post-incident actions to trace and recover funds. Listeners will walk away with clear scripts to use on calls and email, a short checklist to add to closing packets, and an understanding of insurance and recovery options if the worst happens. This episode is focused on actionable steps buyers, sellers, and agents can implement immediately to reduce financial risk at closing.