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Showing posts from August 21, 2017

Zoiks! Real estate scams up 480%

by Michael H. Wasserman You read that right, A 480 percent increase according to a May 2017 PSA from the FBI. Its Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Scammers are targeting wire transfers with alarming frequency. As state law mandates the use of wire transfers for most real estate transactions, it's vital that every buyer, seller and professional be vigilant to prevent fraud. Here's what to look for and what you can do to help protect your money - your deal. Check the Source: Wire transfer fraud typically starts with a "phishing" email that looks ok at first blush, but is a fake. Real-looking but fraudulent emails may contain: A slightly different email address. It could be just one character off. Or using a correct name but from a free account, like gmail, aol or yahoo. Legit-looking logos and email footers. Remember, logos can be downloaded from public websites from title companies and banks. A working phone number for confirmation. So, if/when you ca