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Jeff Pearl, Full Service Full Time Realtor (RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA)

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Ambassador
3,164,119
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

Oh there are warnings on my email, the attorney emails, the loan officer emails.  

Feb 27, 2020 07:12 AM
Ambassador
5,229,328
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Been using this for years:

"***DUE TO RECENT CYBER/WIRE FRAUD IN OUR INDUSTRY, PLEASE CALL OR HAVE YOUR BANKER CALL THE CLOSING ATTORNEY’S OFFICE TO CONFIRM THEIR WIRING INSTRUCTIONS, BEFORE INITIATING A WIRE. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS DO THIS, WHETHER YOU RECEIVE AN EMAIL THAT YOU BELIEVE TO BE FROM ME, MY TEAM, THE LENDER OR THE ATTORNEY."

Feb 27, 2020 08:09 AM
Ambassador
2,061,392
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

My signature line in my emails reads as follows:

 

WARNING! WIRE FRAUD ADVISORY
Wire fraud and email hacking/phishing attacks are on the increase! If you have a transaction with us and you receive an email containing Wire Transfer Instructions from your attorney, DO NOT RESPOND TO THE EMAIL! Instead, call your attorney (or me) immediately, to verify the information prior to sending funds.
Feb 27, 2020 06:59 AM
Rainmaker
5,104,931
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Yes... and I don't personally provide any wiring instructions as a go-between.

Feb 27, 2020 07:38 AM
Ambassador
3,125,265
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent

Yes, we have a form for that and I also advise clients very closely to avoid that very scenario.

Feb 27, 2020 07:29 AM
Ambassador
6,392,899
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

They are warned over and over again to always verify anything like this by picking up the phone and calling me or the title company.

Feb 27, 2020 07:09 AM
Ambassador
3,344,906
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

WOW - Warnings are everywhere.  Odd that someone in that position in life did not have a process or procedure in place to verify.  

Feb 27, 2020 08:49 AM
Ambassador
2,684,009
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

       I introduce my Buyers to the Title Closer when the contract and earnest money are given to the Title Attorney.   Said Title Closer gives the Buyer wiring instructions and appropriate warnings.  Buyer is told to telephone said Title Closer before making any wire transactions.

 

Feb 27, 2020 08:36 AM
Ambassador
2,160,948
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

Yes, absolutely and that goes for buyers even more. Florida Realtors developed a form a couple of years ago and I use it with every transaction and every party. 

Feb 27, 2020 08:30 AM
Rainmaker
1,502,868
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

California has a form buyers have to sign.  Most escrow officers have a warning in their signature as well as a very instructive email to the buyers and the agents.

Feb 27, 2020 08:20 AM
Rainer
231,948
Eva B. Liland Century 21 Doug Anderson
Century 21 Doug Anderson - Lancaster, CA
Glad to be of Service 661-714-1643

I instruct in person, all of my sellers and buyers by having them sign a wire fraud form, NEVER to wire anything unless they call me or their escrow company to verify. The threath is real folks.

Feb 27, 2020 08:15 AM
Rainmaker
1,844,171
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

What the 'know it all' did see that coming? Sorry, but I find it humorous as that scam has been around the world twice or more.

I do not warn the buyers but the attorneys do here in IL. There is lots of that going around.

Feb 27, 2020 07:49 AM
Rainmaker
2,390,016
Bob "RealMan" Timm
Ward County Notary Services - Minot, ND
Owner of Ward Co Notary Services retired RE Broker

I did as a Realtor and I do that now as a loan signing agent/Notary Public today as well Jeff Pearl 

Feb 27, 2020 07:48 AM
Rainmaker
613,494
Eve Alexander
Buyers Broker of Florida - Tampa, FL
Exclusively Representing ONLY Tampa Home Buyers

Exactly why I do not have an assistant and scrutinize my own bills...

 

Eve

 

Feb 27, 2020 07:03 AM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

No.

I advise them to call ME if anyone asks them to do ANYTHING.

Then I add to that, "Hey, if you are thinking of doing anything, you should ask me."

Today there is NO SURE CONDUIT of communication to accomplish anything. The real game is to make sure someone else inherits to expense of one's mistakes.

Bank credit cards and 3rd party return policies are the best conduit to passing on the costs.

Feb 27, 2020 07:00 AM
Rainmaker
5,772,575
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Jeff,

We are very, very cautious and verify as does our bank.  When we have done it, our bank verifies that the receiver of funds is legit.  It has gotten to the point, when we opened an account with a partner in another state same brand name of bank, that real signatures were fed-exed to both branches.

Feb 27, 2020 07:45 AM
Rainmaker
2,781,013
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Fool me once shame on you...twice? Shame on me....Anyone who gets taken knows better and if they don't...they will

Feb 27, 2020 07:27 AM
Rainmaker
809,829
Bob Force (REALTOR®)
Weichert Realtors - Aspen Hill - Mount Airy, MD
The FORCE in Maryland Real Estate

We have a form for that and I clearly explain that on the initial face to face and again when signing an offer.

Feb 27, 2020 05:15 PM
Ambassador
3,587,835
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Absolutely and there is wire fraud notice as well that I always present. Title companies have been great about getting this word out over and over.

Feb 27, 2020 03:20 PM
Rainer
509,449
Susie Kay
Ultra Real Estate Dallas Fort Worth - Plano, TX
North Dallas Specialist

Yes, I always do.

Feb 27, 2020 02:44 PM
Rainer
417,071
Caroline Gerardo
Licensed in 20 states - Newport Beach, CA
C. G. Barbeau the Loan Lady nmls 324982

Next steps, kiss the money goodbye. 

I get fake emails every day. Look at the sender's address BEFORE you open it. Call them if something feels off. 

No borrower should wire funds without a couple double check calls

Feb 27, 2020 01:55 PM
Rainmaker
900,108
Olga Simoncelli
Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate - New Fairfield, CT
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management

Reportedly there was one misspelled word; that's always a red flag. Any fund transfers should always be super checked.

Feb 27, 2020 01:35 PM
Ambassador
5,112,408
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Jeff Pearl absolutely.  These days there are scams for everything.  For example this morning I received an e-mail from Chase saying fraudulent activity was detected on my credit card account and to click on a link to verify the activity.  I called the bank and it was as I suspected a scam.  Anytime I receive an e-mail referring to funds, I would always verify directly with the source before doing anything.

Feb 27, 2020 10:57 AM
Rainmaker
4,571,881
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

I heard about that.  It seems there is evidence of some phishing of sorts in the Shark Tank.

Feb 27, 2020 09:19 AM
Rainmaker
1,052,056
Candice A. Donofrio
Next Wave RE Investments LLC Bullhead City AZ Commercial RE Broker - Fort Mohave, AZ
928-201-4BHC (4242) call/text

Oof. She shoulda had an astrologer on her payroll to tell her Mercury is retrograde and conjunct Neptune and HER Sun. Double check EVERYTHING and trust NO ONE! 
(yes I'm serious)
Also seriously . . . you'd think such a wealthy organization would have the need for more oversight.
Her assistant just routinely paid a 388k bill? No one checked on this or second set of eyeballs on it?

Feb 27, 2020 08:51 AM
Rainer
374,987
Libby Cousins
Extraordinary Processing - Spokane, WA
Contract Mortgage Processor, licensed in WA

My closers typically give the wire instructions to the borrowers. When borrowers involve me, I warn, warn, warn them to verify the instructions with title. 

I have seen a HUGE increase in emails just this week that mention needing to verify my information in order to process a refund (and they list a dollar amount and sometimes a store/bank name). I ALWAYS check the email addresses that it came from. Scammers are pretty clever. 

Feb 27, 2020 08:47 AM
Rainmaker
3,416,038
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

I saw that and YES, i tell them, i remind them and both the loan officer and closer tells them. 

Feb 27, 2020 12:45 PM
Rainmaker
7,835,293
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

This is a good reminder for all to be alert.

Feb 27, 2020 10:06 AM
Rainmaker
1,239,801
Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

That is most unfortunate.  These docu sign approvals may have limited liability.....

Feb 27, 2020 09:32 AM
Rainmaker
620,692
Ernie Steele
Lebanon, PA

My office has a REQUIRED form for buyers and sellers to sign acknowledging we have informed them not to wire funds without contacting us first.

Feb 27, 2020 09:09 AM
Rainmaker
5,216,295
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Everyone has to triple verify today!

Feb 28, 2020 05:21 AM
Rainmaker
1,543,235
Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® e-Pro CRS RCS-D Vets
Big Block Realty 858.232.8722 - La Jolla, CA
CEO of Vision Drive Realty - Coastal San Diego

We politely-demand our clients call the escrow office 5 minutes before they push send at the bank and verify voice to voice the account number. Oh hell yes we do! Wire Fraud is too common.

Feb 27, 2020 09:18 PM
Rainmaker
1,311,072
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

So...if I send her a bill, she will wire $$$$ to me.

Hmmmm...

Feb 27, 2020 09:37 PM
Rainmaker
763,783
Tony Lewis
Summit Real Estate Group - Valencia, CA
Summit Real Estate Group Valencia & Aliso Viejo

It is important and I have not stressed it enough.  Escrow usually is informative and educates our clients but I must get more aggressive with this.

Feb 28, 2020 04:23 PM