What should I do if I get an email that looks like it's from my lawyer with new wire instructions?
Treat it as fraudulent until proven otherwise, and do not wire any money based on it. Real estate wire fraud almost always works by intercepting or spoofing a lawyer's email and sending revised instructions that look legitimate, often timed for right before a closing when a transfer is expected, and a changed account number is the single biggest warning sign.
Before sending anything, call your law firm directly using a phone number you already had on file or found independently, such as through the firm's own website, never a number included in the suspicious email itself. Ask them to confirm, verbally, the trust account details you were originally given and whether anything has actually changed. If the firm confirms nothing changed, you can safely disregard the email; if you already sent money based on it, contact your bank immediately to attempt a recall and report it to your lawyer and the police, since speed matters enormously once funds have left your account. Genuine lawyers rarely change trust account details by email alone, which is exactly why this pattern is worth treating with suspicion every time.
Key takeaways
- Never wire money based solely on emailed instructions, especially a changed account number.
- Verify by phone using a number you already had, not one from the suspicious email.
- If you already sent funds, contact your bank and the police immediately to attempt a recall.
- Genuine trust account changes are rarely communicated by email alone; treat that as suspicious.