What should the contact sheet contain?
Keep a private list of the people handling the transaction, their roles, and contact details you established independently. Note which person can answer questions about closing instructions. Keep this sheet separate from an unexpected message asking you to act.
- Verified contact name and role
- A phone number established independently
- The normal communication method
- Who to contact if an instruction changes
What should you do with an unexpected change?
CFPB guidance warns that closing scams may impersonate a trusted professional and introduce altered wiring instructions. Confirm instructions through an independently established contact method before acting. Do not rely on the contact details contained in the suspicious message itself.
Pause the administrative task while you verify. Urgency in a message does not replace verification. Keep the message so the appropriate professional can review what you received.
How can you prepare before the busy final days?
Ask about the normal closing process while there is time to take notes. Write down where instructions will come from and how questions will be resolved. Store the contact sheet where you can find it without searching through a long email thread.
You can also make a simple checklist for yourself: identify the sender, compare the communication method with the agreed process, and verify any unexpected change. These are organizational precautions, not a promise that a transaction is free of risk.
What if money has already been sent?
The CFPB advises contacting the bank or wire-transfer company immediately and reporting the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Use independently verified channels. Do not wait for a suspicious sender to explain or reverse the transfer.
This website does not collect closing funds or provide wiring instructions. Discuss transaction-specific questions with the verified professionals handling your closing.