Wire Fraud Safety

Cybercriminals “spoof” email accounts — including those of agents, escrow officers, and title companies — to send fraudulent wiring instructions. The emails look legitimate. The account numbers are real-looking. But the money goes to the criminal, not escrow.

The FBI received over 9,000 real estate wire fraud complaints in a recent year, with losses exceeding $446 million. Funds sent to the wrong account are rarely recovered.

Before wiring ANY funds, call your escrow officer directly using a phone number you obtained independently (not from the email with the wiring instructions) and verbally confirm every digit of the account and routing numbers.

1. Receive wiring instructions by email or through the platform.
2. Do not call the phone number in that email.
3. Look up the escrow company’s phone number independently — through their official website or a number you already have on file.
4. Call and ask to speak with your escrow officer by name.
5. Verbally read back the bank name, account number, routing number, and wire amount.
6. Ask them to confirm. Only then authorize the wire with your bank.
7. After sending, call again to confirm receipt.

• Wiring instructions that arrive by email only, without a prior phone call
• Any last-minute change to wiring instructions
• Instructions to wire to a different bank or account than previously discussed
• Pressure to wire quickly or “before the deadline today”
• Email address that looks slightly off (e.g., escrow@fidelitytiitle.com vs fidelitytitle.com)

BayKey AI will never provide final wiring instructions via the platform messaging system. All wiring instructions come directly from your escrow company. We will remind you to verify at every relevant stage of your journey.

If you receive wiring instructions through BayKey messages that you did not expect, contact your agent immediately: ai@bayconai.com

Act immediately — within hours:

• Call your bank’s wire transfer department and ask them to initiate a recall
• File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center: ic3.gov
• File a report with the California Attorney General: oag.ca.gov
• Contact your agent and escrow company