Rick Nakama Realty LLC

Local perspective. Personal attention.

Rick Nakama, REALTOR® RB-20356 · Principal Broker

GRI,

Graduate, REALTOR Institute — advanced professional training in real estate brokerage.

AHWD,

At Home With Diversity — certified to serve diverse clients and uphold fair housing.

SFR,

Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource — qualified in short sales and foreclosure transactions.

SRES

Seniors Real Estate Specialist — specialized in serving buyers and sellers age 50+.

Fraud Protection — NAR fraud resources

Wire & closing fraud prevention · Brief guide, not legal advice

⚠ The one rule — read this twice

A familiar voice, caller ID, email address, or text message is not proof of identity. Before acting on any communication involving money, account numbers, or changed instructions — stop and verify independently through a contact method you already trust.

Most real estate fraud is not a hack. It is a convincing lie arriving at the busiest moment of the transaction.

Before you wire a dollar

Verify verbally. Call the title or escrow company at a number you already have — never one printed in the email giving you the instructions.
Confirm the details. Read back the account number and routing number, and confirm the exact dollar amount.
Distrust last-minute changes. "Updated wiring instructions" arriving just before closing is the classic move. Treat every change as hostile until proven otherwise.
Confirm receipt. After sending, verify the funds actually arrived where they were supposed to.

Vet your closing partners

Before recommending or working with a title company, escrow company, or settlement provider, ask how they protect your clients:

What technology and procedures do they use to prevent fraud?
How do they verify identities, authority to act, and bank-account information?
How do they communicate wire instructions and changes to clients?
What secure payment options do they offer — and what safeguards apply to each?
How do they educate clients about fraud?

If a provider cannot clearly explain its safeguards, consider whether another provider offers stronger procedures.

Have a response plan

Fraud moves in minutes. Decide before closing day whom to contact, what information to preserve, and what steps to take the moment suspected fraud is reported. Tell your clients the plan early in the transaction — not after the money is gone.

Go deeper

The National Association of Realtors maintains full fraud-prevention resources for brokers, agents, and clients — written procedures, staff training guidance, and client education materials.

Read the full NAR guide: nar.realtor/fraud →

Summary of NAR's fraud-prevention resources. For complete guidance, see the linked NAR page. Not legal advice.

Created by Hoshi ⭐
in collaboration with Rick Nakama Realty LLC (RB-21724)