Before acting on a closing-related payment message, verify it through a trusted contact method established independently of that message. If you are selling a Houston-area house, make the handling of proceeds part of your closing conversation instead of assuming a familiar name in an email proves who sent it.
The goal is a clear verification plan. A sale that feels simple should still leave you able to explain who is handling the closing and how an unexpected instruction will be checked.
Understand why a convincing message can still be wrong
The FBI’s real-estate fraud guidance describes compromised email accounts being used to insert fraudulent payment instructions into transactions. Its central precaution is independent confirmation: use a trusted, previously stored phone number, not one supplied in the suspicious email. It also warns against giving sensitive information to unexpected callers without knowing who is on the other end.
The CFPB’s closing-scam guidance is written primarily for buyers, but its verification precautions are useful to discuss with your closing professional as a seller too. It recommends establishing trusted contacts beforehand and checking transfer instructions through them. Do not read a buyer-oriented guide as a description of your particular seller disbursement procedure.
Agree on the contact plan before closing day
Ask the closing professional to explain how the parties will communicate and how sensitive information will be collected. Make a private contact sheet that contains names and trusted contact methods—not bank credentials or a copy of every identity document.
An original planning sheet can be as simple as this:
| Planning question | What you want clarified |
|---|---|
| Who handles my closing? | The company and the person responsible for the file |
| How do I reach that person independently? | A contact method you have verified before any suspicious request |
| What happens if an instruction changes? | The provider’s verification procedure |
| How are sensitive documents submitted? | The secure process the provider actually uses |
| What if that person is unavailable? | The verified escalation contact or alternate procedure |
Keep the plan practical. You should not have to improvise the verification step while someone is pressuring you to act. If the process is unclear, ask for clarification before treating a message as authorization.
Separate a request from a verified instruction
Consider a hypothetical example: an owner is expecting to receive sale proceeds and gets a message stating that an extra payment or different banking arrangement is needed immediately. This is an illustration, not a report about a CashAsIs seller.
The useful next step is to stop and check the request with the established closing contact. Do not let a familiar email signature settle the question. Ask what the request concerns, whether it belongs to your actual file and what approved procedure applies.
Even a legitimate change deserves a clear explanation. Verification is not an accusation against the buyer or closing staff; it is a normal way to make sure everyone is discussing the same transaction.
Keep the offer inquiry separate from banking instructions
Your first conversation with CashAsIs can focus on the property, condition, occupancy and sale goals. Banking details are not needed to explain whether you would like the house evaluated.
Later, use the verified closing provider’s procedure for sensitive financial or identity documents. Do not put those details into a public property description, social message or general website inquiry. If you are unsure why a document is being requested, ask the verified professional handling that part of the transaction.
For the broader process, our after-signing guide and cash-sale timeline guide explain the steps around title and closing. This checklist adds a contact-verification task; it does not replace those steps.
Act immediately if you suspect money was misdirected
Contact your bank or wire-transfer company and your independently verified closing professional immediately. The CFPB advises asking for a wire recall and reporting the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Keep relevant communications available for those professionals. Prompt reporting can matter, but no one should promise that money will be recovered.
Choose a sale route with a process you understand
A direct cash purchase may reduce preparation and buyer-search work for some owners. A listing may offer advantages for others. Neither route authenticates a payment message simply because the proposed price looks attractive.
When talking to CashAsIs, ask about the actual property-review and closing process. Compare the written proposal, the work expected of you and the verified path to closing. A helpful buyer conversation should give you clearer decisions while leaving you free to check the details.