Documents and Consumer Protections
Wire-fraud prevention
Short answer
Real-estate wire instructions can be targeted by impersonation and account-change fraud. Treat unexpected or changed instructions as high risk.
Detailed explanation
Real-estate wire instructions can be targeted by impersonation and account-change fraud. Treat unexpected or changed instructions as high risk.
Federal and state rules assign different purposes and timing requirements to mortgage documents. Read each document, keep copies, and ask the appropriate loan or servicing team about information that is unclear or inconsistent.
What this means for you
Independently verify instructions using a trusted phone number obtained separately, do not rely on a reply to the suspicious message, and contact the bank and transaction professionals immediately if funds may have been misdirected.
Important limitations and exceptions
- Availability, eligibility, pricing, documentation, and state coverage vary. This article is general education and is not an approval, rate quote, Loan Estimate, commitment to lend, or recommendation for a specific consumer.
Primary references
Educational-information disclaimer
This article provides general mortgage education. It is not legal, tax, investment, or financial-planning advice; an approval or credit decision; a commitment to lend; a rate lock; a Loan Estimate; or a recommendation for your specific circumstances. Consult the appropriate licensed or independent professional for transaction-specific guidance.