How can a Merritt Island buyer verify earnest-money and closing-wire instructions without sending funds to a scammer? This guide gives buyers, sellers, and owners a practical way to organize the records, observations, professional questions, and deadlines that matter for a Merritt Island property.
Create a payment-verification plan when the contract begins
Record who will hold the deposit, the due date, accepted payment methods, exact payee, delivery method, bank cutoff, confirmation process, and the name and direct number of the settlement professional. Save the contact information from an independently verified source before instructions arrive. Confirm whether separate deposits, appraisal payments, inspection payments, and closing funds go to different recipients.
Use the Merritt Island under-contract timeline to place money deadlines beside inspection, financing, title, and closing tasks. A rushed buyer is easier to deceive. Calendar the verification call before the transfer deadline and leave time for bank limits, holds, branch requirements, or a rejected transfer.
Verify instructions without replying to the message that delivered them
If instructions arrive by email or text, do not use the phone number, link, reply address, or attachment as the only verification source. Call the title company, attorney, brokerage, or other authorized recipient using a number saved earlier or obtained independently. Read back the payee, bank name, routing number, account number, reference, and amount according to the recipient's secure protocol.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's mortgage-closing scam guidance warns that criminals may impersonate trusted transaction participants and send false last-minute wire changes. Its mortgage closing checklist recommends recording two trusted contacts who can confirm payment instructions.
Treat changed instructions as a full stop
Do not send money after receiving an unexpected account change, revised recipient, new payment app, request for secrecy, altered attachment, or urgent message saying verification is unnecessary. End the message thread and start a new call using the previously verified number. Ask the recipient to explain the established change-control process and confirm whether the organization ever changes instructions by email.
A familiar display name, copied signature block, correct property address, or knowledge of the closing date does not prove authenticity. Compromised email accounts can expose actual transaction details. Do not approve a transfer merely because the message contains information that appears private or because several participants are copied.
Coordinate bank limits and transfer timing in advance
Ask the buyer's bank how to initiate the approved payment method, what identification is required, whether an appointment is needed, daily or online limits, cutoff times, fraud-review procedures, and how a recall request works. Confirm the source account and available funds without emailing account statements or credentials. If funds come from another institution, gift source, sale, or investment account, coordinate the lender's documentation rules as well.
Use the closing-costs and cash-to-close guide to reconcile the expected amount. The final figure can change for legitimate reasons, but a changed amount does not justify changed bank instructions. Confirm the amount and destination through separate trusted channels.
Protect documents and devices used during closing
Use strong unique passwords and multifactor authentication for email and financial accounts. Update devices, avoid public Wi-Fi for sensitive transaction work, and do not forward wire instructions to unnecessary recipients. Verify document portals independently before entering credentials. If a message pressures the buyer to disable security settings or install remote-access software, stop and contact the trusted professionals.
Keep bank statements, identification, Closing Disclosures, wiring instructions, and signed documents in secure storage. Share only what the lender, bank, title professional, attorney, or other authorized participant requests through an approved channel. Carrie can coordinate the real estate timeline but should not be treated as the source of bank-account instructions unless the established process specifically and securely assigns that role.
Confirm receipt through the known settlement contact
After the transfer, call the known settlement contact to confirm receipt and amount. Do not rely only on a sent confirmation, email reply, screenshot, or status shown in a message thread. Record the bank confirmation number, transfer time, recipient confirmation, and person who verified receipt. If the funds are not received when expected, contact both institutions immediately.
Before signing, compare the Closing Disclosure, settlement statement, lender figures, credits, deposit, and funds due. Use the final walkthrough and closing checklist so payment verification is completed alongside property and document verification rather than as an isolated last-minute task.
Act immediately if a transfer may be fraudulent
Contact the sending bank or wire-transfer company immediately and request its fraud and recall procedure. Notify the legitimate settlement professional through the known number. Preserve emails, headers, texts, attachments, account details, confirmation numbers, times, and names without continuing to engage the suspected sender. Follow the bank's and law-enforcement instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Should a buyer trust wire instructions sent by a familiar email address?
Not without separate verification. Accounts and message threads can be compromised, so confirm the complete instructions through a previously verified phone number or in person.
What if the title company says the bank account changed?
Stop and independently contact the known settlement professional. Treat every account change as unverified until the established secure process confirms it.
Can earnest money and closing funds go to different recipients?
Yes. Confirm each payee, amount, deadline, payment method, and receipt process separately under the signed contract and settlement instructions.
Should the buyer email bank statements or account credentials?
Do not email credentials. Use only the secure channel approved by the lender, bank, or settlement professional for required financial documents.
How should receipt of a wire be confirmed?
Call the known settlement contact, verify the received amount, and record the bank confirmation number, transfer time, and person who confirmed receipt.
What should happen if money was sent to the wrong account?
Contact the bank or wire company immediately to request fraud action and recall, notify the legitimate settlement professional, preserve evidence, and report through the appropriate law-enforcement channel.
Organize the property-specific next steps with Carrie
Carrie Liotta can help Merritt Island buyers, sellers, and waterfront owners organize records, access, specialist questions, and real estate deadlines without substituting for licensed technical, legal, insurance, environmental, or permitting advice.
Carrie Liotta · Real Broker · 256.479.2800
Equal Housing Opportunity. This article provides general real estate education. Verify address-, parcel-, structure-, permit-, insurance-, legal-, environmental-, association-, and transaction-specific facts with the responsible official source and qualified professional.