Last fall, the National Association of Realtors warned its members of the resurgence of an e-mail scam preying on buyers nearing a closed deal.
All parties in a real estate transaction should be wary of email communication especially if last minute changes are requested. If criminals have access to your e-mail account, they can make anything sound legitimate.
To protect against the scam, the state’s Department of Commerce provided several tips for real estate agents :
-Inform clients from day one about your e-mail and communication practices, and alert them to the possibility of fraudulent activity.
-Before wiring any funds, the wirer should contact the intended recipient via a verified telephone number and confirm that the wiring information in accurate.
-Use encrypted e-mail if a situation arises in which the client has no choice but to send information about a transaction via e-mail.
-Clean out your e-mail account on a regular basis. Over time, multiple e-mails can establish business practice patterns that hackers can use against you.
-Encourage clients to change usernames and passwords regularly.
-Use the most up-to-date firewall and anti-virus technologies in your realty business.
