Ticor Title is proud to be recognized as a leader in our industry as a member of the FNF Family of companies. We celebrate that in 2017 our rank has improved to the position of #293 from our previous position of #311 on the Fortune 500.

At Ticor Title, we believe that every transaction begins with a great team. Our team of professionals are committed to personalized service, clear communication, consistency, and the highest standards of conduct to ensure that our clients and partners have a best-in-class closing experience with every transaction.

We would like to thank you for your continuous patronage and support. We look forward to many years of innovation, growth, and successful closings together!

Wire fraud has become a daily occurrence in our industry. Realtors®, Real Estate Brokers, Buyers and Sellers are targets for wire fraud and many have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars because they wired funds based on wire instructions received via email.

Common Wire Fraud Schemes

A hacker can break into a licensee’s email account to obtain information about upcoming real estate transactions. After monitoring the account to determine the likely timing of a close, the hacker sends an email to the buyer, posing either as the escrow agent or as the licensee. The fraudulent email may contain new wiring instructions or routing information, and request that the Buyer send funds accordingly. They could just as easily send an e-mail to the escrow agent posing as a Seller or a Real Estate Broker instructing the escrow agent to wire seller funds to different account rather than to the account provided at the signing.

Be Alert

Below are the procedures we have implemented at Ticor Title to keep our clients’ information and money safe and secure. We have also provided some tips on what a client should look for.

We encourage you to pass them along to your client so they are aware of the wire fraud scams plaguing our industry.

1. Ticor Title will not accept disbursement instructions or changes to disbursement instructions via e-mail. Should a circumstance arise that requires disbursement instructions be sent via e-mail we will always contact the client to confirm the information received using a pre-verified phone number.
2. If we are instructed to e-mail wire instructions to a Broker or a Buyer or Seller they are always sent using encrypted e-mail.
3. If your client receives wire instructions via e-mail instruct them to ALWAYS follow up with a phone call to their escrow closer before they wire funds.
4. Pay attention to the wording of an email requesting funds. Many fraudsters are “offshore” offenders and their sentence structure may be broken and may contain misspelled words or improper grammar.
5. Beware of e-mail spoofing. E-mail spoofing is the forgery of an e-mail address so that the message appears to have originated from someone other than the actual source. For instance, you could receive an e-mail that you believe originated from your Escrow Closer or Broker because the e-mail address is the same as theirs. However, if you click on the e-mail address it will disclose the true e-mail address of the originator. E-mail Spoofing is a common tactic used in wire fraud campaigns and if you are not familiar with the tactic you are very likely to follow the instructions contained in the e-mail, believing they came from the proper party.
6. Be wary of a sudden or urgent request for funds that were not anticipated or required as part of the transaction. Examples include a request for an additional earnest money deposit or extension fee that was not part of the purchase agreement.

Wire Fraud in the News

Click on the links below to view stories recently aired by KOMO 4 news on the subject of wire fraud. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you have or if you would like some additional information on the subject.

http://komonews.com/news/consumer/email-scam-targeting-real-estate-industry-gets-worse

http://komonews.com/news/consumer/real-estate-title-scams-steal-homebuyers-money-and-dash-ownership-dreams

Title Insurance Value Proposition: Why Title Insurance is Important and Worth the Money

1. Title insurance protects the interests of property owners and lenders against legitimate or false title claims by owners or lien holders. It insures the title to the investment, unlocking its potential as a financial asset for the owner.
2. At Ticor we access, assemble, analyze, and distribute title information, in addition to handling escrow and closing.
3. Title problems are discovered in more than one-third of residential real estate transactions. These “defects” must be resolved prior to closing. The most common problems are existing liens, unpaid mortgages, and recording errors of names, addresses or legal descriptions.
4. A homeowner’s title insurance policy protects the owner for as long as he or she has an interest in the property; and the premium is paid only once, at closing.
5. Title insurance is different from other forms of insurance because it insures against events that occurred before the policy is issued, as opposed to insuring against events in the future, as auto, health, property or life insurance do. Title insurance is loss prevention insurance.
6. Ticor performs a thorough search of existing records to identify all possible defects in order to resolve them prior to issuing a policy. We perform intensive and extensive work up-front to minimize claims. The better we do this, the lower our rate of claims and the more secure your level of protection.
7. Researching titles is extremely labor-intensive since only a small percentage of public records are computerized. The industry invests a substantial amount of time and expense to collect and evaluate title records. As a result, the industry’s claims experience is low compared to other lines of insurance.
8. Ticor’s impressive Claim Reserves gives you unquestionable security and peace of mind knowing that your policy is backed by a leader in the title insurance industry.
9. Dollar for dollar, title insurance is the best investment you can make to protect your interest in one of the most valuable assets you own: your home.
10. To get the best value, choose Ticor Title for all your Title and Escrow needs. Write us in on your next transaction and you’ll see why we are Worth the Money.

Print, Share, Download Tips for Buyers & Sellers

This helpful information and more can be found in our Buyer Seller Guide to Title & Escrow eBook. Check it out!

Buyer Seller Guide to Title & Escrow