What happens if my bank's fraud department flags and holds my down payment wire on closing day?

Banks routinely flag large or unusual wire transfers for fraud or anti-money-laundering review, and a hold placed on closing day can delay your funds reaching your lawyer's trust account exactly when they are needed. Because your lawyer generally cannot release money toward your purchase until it has actually cleared into trust, a held wire can put your closing at real risk of running late.

If this happens, contact your bank and your lawyer immediately, since banks can sometimes expedite a review once they understand a real estate closing is waiting on the funds, particularly if you can promptly answer their questions about the source and purpose of the transfer. Your lawyer may also be able to arrange a short accommodation with the other side, such as a brief delay or a gap closing, if the hold cannot be cleared in time. This scenario is a strong argument for sending down payment funds several business days ahead of closing rather than the day of, precisely because banks do not guarantee same-day release once a review is triggered.