When you buy a new home, the chances are good that you shared this great news with many people, including your social media network. But, unfortunately, some people who hear about this exciting news may be criminals you are not even connected to but who are intent on intercepting your money.
According to the FBI, wire fraud is growing each year exponentially. As your lender, we want to protect you, so here are some tips to avoid any potential issues:
- You will be communicating with many people on our staff throughout your loan process.
- Information sent to you containing personal data will be encrypted to protect your privacy.
- Always communicate private information through a private internet connection, not through Public Wi-Fi. There is a lot of financial information you do not want to send through public access Wi-Fi, which can be easily intercepted.
- When you receive an email, always look at the sender’s email address to ensure it is from the person you think it is. Criminals know that just a subtle change, like a letter in the email address, will go unnoticed by most people.
- Always verify the authenticity of each wire transfer request. NEVER follow instructions in an email. Call us first to verify the information, using the number you have contacted us on before, and NEVER call the number on the wire transfer request. These folks are very sophisticated, and our goal is to protect you during the mortgage process.
If you’ve been thinking about home buying or refinancing, now could be a great time to get started. Check your eligibility today.
