Stay Safe with Showings and Closings

September 21, 2026    

REALTOR® Safety Month and the Closing Table

Every September, the real estate industry focuses on agent safety in the field. And for good reason — real estate professionals face real risks every day, meeting new people in unfamiliar spaces and navigating high-stakes situations.
But there is another dimension of safety that does not always get the attention it deserves: transaction security.
Wire fraud targeting real estate transactions has become one of the fastest-growing financial crimes in the country. Buyers, sellers, and agents are all potential targets. And because real estate transactions involve large sums moving quickly, the consequences of a successful fraud attempt can be devastating.
At Ticor Title, we think about transaction security the same way great agents think about showing safety: as a practice built into every step, not an afterthought.

What Is Real Estate Wire Fraud?

Real estate wire fraud typically works like this: a bad actor intercepts communication between parties in a transaction, impersonates a trusted contact — often a title company, escrow officer, or real estate agent — and sends fraudulent wiring instructions directing funds to an account they control.
Because real estate transactions involve legitimate large wire transfers under time pressure, buyers and agents are particularly vulnerable. A single misdirected wire can mean tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars lost, often with little or no ability to recover the funds.
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) consistently identifies real estate wire fraud as one of the costliest forms of cybercrime affecting American consumers.

How Ticor Title Approaches Transaction Security

Secure closings are built into how we work — not added on top of it. Here is what that looks like in practice:

We establish secure, verified communication channels with all parties at the outset of every transaction. Agents and clients should know how we communicate — and be skeptical of any unexpected changes to wiring instructions, regardless of how legitimate they appear.

2. Wiring instruction protocols.

We never send wiring instructions via unsecured email alone, and we encourage all parties to verify any wiring instructions by phone — using a number independently confirmed, not one provided in the same email as the instructions.

3. Education and awareness.

Part of our job is making sure the professionals and clients we work with understand how to recognize the warning signs of fraud. An unexpected change in wiring instructions, a sense of urgency to wire quickly, or any communication that feels slightly off are all reasons to pause and verify.
4. Clear escalation paths.

If something does not feel right at any point in a transaction, our team is reachable and responsive. We would always rather answer a question that turns out to be nothing than have a client or agent proceed with a transaction that has been compromised.

What Real Estate Professionals Can Do

Transaction security is a shared responsibility. Here are a few practices that help protect every closing:

• Verify before you wire. Always confirm wiring instructions by calling your title or escrow contact directly — using a phone number you have independently verified, not one provided in an email.
• Protect your email. Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication on every account you use for business communication. A compromised email account is often where fraud begins.
• Brief your clients. Set expectations early. Let buyers know how wiring instructions will be communicated and tell them to call you or the title company directly if they ever receive anything unexpected.
• Slow down at the wire. Fraud attempts often create a false sense of urgency. If you or your client feels rushed to wire funds, that is a signal to pause — not proceed.

Two Kinds of Safety, One Transaction

REALTOR® Safety Month is a reminder that safety in real estate is multidimensional. It includes the personal safety habits that protect agents in the field and the transaction security practices that protect clients at the closing table.
Great agents bring both to every transaction. So do we.
If you have questions about how we approach transaction security, or if you want to talk through what secure closings look like for your clients, our team is here.

Additional Resources

For REALTOR® field safety resources, visit NAR's safety page at nar.realtor/safety. NAR offers free tips, training, and tools for members — including the REALTOR® Safety Network and a Mental Wellness Toolkit.
For information about wire fraud and cybercrime, visit the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.