Fraud Prevention &
Scam Awareness

Wire fraud is one of the most prevalent and financially devastating crimes in real estate transactions. Criminals impersonate legitimate parties — escrow officers, lenders, attorneys, or real estate agents — and send fraudulent wire instructions designed to divert closing funds to accounts they control.

How to protect yourself:

• Never wire funds based on instructions received by email alone;
• Always call the escrow company or closing agent at a verified number — not a number provided in the email — to confirm wire instructions;
• Be extremely suspicious of any last-minute changes to wire instructions;
• Confirm the exact account number, routing number, and recipient name by phone before initiating any transfer;
• Once wired, fraudulently transferred funds are extremely difficult to recover.

Fraudsters may create email addresses that closely resemble legitimate ones — changing one letter, adding a character, or using a lookalike domain — and use these accounts to communicate as if they were Cooper One Fourteen agents or other transaction parties.

How to protect yourself:

• Carefully inspect the full email address of every sender, not just the display name;
• Be suspicious of any urgent or unexpected requests involving financial transactions;
• If you receive an email from someone claiming to be affiliated with Cooper One Fourteen that seems unusual, call our office directly to verify;
• Do not click links or download attachments from suspicious emails.

Fraudulent property listings may appear on third-party websites, social media platforms, or classified ad services. These listings often advertise properties at below-market prices and request deposits or fees before allowing a viewing or executing any legitimate agreement.

How to protect yourself:

• Only transact through verified agents and licensed brokerages;
• Be suspicious of any listing that requires a deposit before you have toured the property and reviewed a legitimate agreement;
• Verify that any agent claiming to represent a property is licensed through the California Department of Real Estate (CA DRE);
• If a deal seems too good to be true, it likely is.

Rental scams target prospective tenants by advertising properties that are not available for rent — often properties that have been copied from legitimate listings — and collecting deposits from multiple victims.

How to protect yourself:

• Never pay a deposit for a rental property you have not personally toured;
• Verify the identity of any landlord or property manager;
• Do not wire rental deposits or pay by gift card, cryptocurrency, or money order to unknown parties;
• Verify that anyone claiming to represent a property has a legal right to rent it.

Identity theft in real estate may involve the fraudulent transfer of property title, fraudulent mortgage applications, or the theft of personal information shared during a transaction.

How to protect yourself:

• Be cautious about sharing sensitive personal information — such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, or tax returns — except with verified and trusted parties;
• Monitor your credit reports and property records for unexpected activity;
• Contact your county recorder's office to inquire about property fraud alert programs available in your area.

Cryptocurrency is increasingly used by fraudsters because transactions are generally irreversible and difficult to trace. Requests to pay real estate-related fees, deposits, or closing costs in cryptocurrency from an unsolicited source should be treated with extreme caution.

How to protect yourself:

• Cooper One Fourteen does not request payment of real estate fees or deposits in cryptocurrency;
• Be suspicious of any party who insists on cryptocurrency payment outside of a traditional escrow process;
• Cryptocurrency transactions are generally irreversible — once sent, funds cannot be recovered.

General cybersecurity practices to protect yourself throughout a real estate transaction:

• Use strong, unique passwords for email accounts and financial platforms;
• Enable multi-factor authentication on all accounts involved in a transaction;
• Avoid conducting sensitive financial communications over public Wi-Fi networks;
• Keep your devices, operating systems, and security software up to date;
• Be cautious of phishing emails that ask you to click a link and enter login credentials;
• If you suspect your email account has been compromised, notify your agent or escrow officer immediately.

If you believe you have been targeted by fraud in connection with a real estate transaction:

• Contact your bank or financial institution immediately to attempt to stop or reverse any wire transfer;
• File a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov;
• Report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov;
• Contact your local law enforcement;
• Notify the California Department of Real Estate if a licensed agent may be involved.