EMD / WIRE INST

EMD / WIRE INST

URGENT NOTICE – WIRE(S) IN PROTOCOL: EMAIL PHISHING AND SCAMS ARE TARGETING THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY

At Flagship Title, your security is important to us. Buyers can submit their Earnest Money Deposits (EMD) safe and secure, directly from their mobile device. No need for the cost of a wire, a drive to the bank, snail mail, or a drive to the title company. Contact our office at 813-875-1200 for instructions, and then click your link below:

Download app to your mobile device:

Tip: if the closing is within 10 days, you may want to send a wire to ensure the funds are available at closing.

WIRE INSTRUCTIONS:

All incoming funds must be received and cleared prior to closing; per Florida Administrative Code 690-186.008 as all closing funds must be “collected funds” prior to disbursement. Due to a large amount of fraud, THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS.

E-mail and Internet-related fraud schemes have become increasingly prevalent and more sophisticated in recent years, affecting customers of financial institutions across the United States. These scams are often perpetrated by criminals who compromise the e-mail accounts of unsuspecting individuals and businesses, and then use those e-mail accounts to initiate unauthorized funds transfer requests.

How to Protect Yourself

• Be careful with what information you share online or on social media. By openly sharing things like pet names, schools you attended, links to family members, and your birthday, you can give a scammer all the information they need to guess your password or answer your security questions.
• Don’t click on anything in an unsolicited email or text message asking you to update or verify account information. Look up the company’s phone number on your own (don’t use the one a potential scammer is providing), and call the company to ask if the request is legitimate.
• Carefully examine the email address, URL, and spelling used in any correspondence. Scammers use slight differences to trick your eye and gain your trust.
• Be careful what you download. Never open an email attachment from someone you don’t know, and be wary of email attachments forwarded to you.
• Set up two-factor (or multi-factor) authentication on any account that allows it, and never disable it.
• Verify payment and purchase requests in person if possible or by calling the person to make sure it is legitimate. You should verify any change in account number or payment procedures with the person making the request.
• Be especially wary if the requestor is pressing you to act quickly.

Additional information and resources on business email compromise can be found at: www.fbi.gov/bec