I am bombarded on a daily basis with emails and text messages with links. I never click on a link or download a file. The company email address collects

phony real estate closing notices. When I examine them sometimes I find the name and logo of a legitimate title company but when I look at the sender’s address I can tell the notice is fake.

There are links in the messages but I don’t know what they are to because I have never clicked on any of them.

Thieves out there trying to take your money. If you are buying a house it is even worse. People will try to get you to wire your money to them.  An electronic request for earnest money may be legitimate but buyers should still verify any request for earnest money by contacting their agent.

Title companies often ask for money to be wired prior to the closing. Such notices should be verified by calling the title company. Don’t use the phone number of the email requesting the money. Call the title company. Verify the wiring instructions.

Beware of thieves who contact home buyers 4 or 5 days before the closing and give them wiring instructions. They sound convincing and may even be familiar with the details of the purchase. The phone call is a scam and by the time the borrower figures it out the money has left the country.

Homebuyers and sellers and real estate companies and agents will receive fake phone calls, text messages, and emails.

No matter who you are or what you do for a living there are people working non-stop all day every day to take your money and they are getting better at it. Go to the Massachusetts  Attorney Generals’ office website for information about common scams and learn how to avoid them.

It used to be that the elderly were the most susceptible to scams but these days young adults are falling for them too.

Common scams include trying to get social security numbers and credit card numbers and no the IRS doesn’t call or send emails regarding unpaid taxes or tax refunds.

Please, please be careful out there!

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