Reviewed by the Sky Escrow team, a California DFPI-licensed escrow company serving Los Angeles County.
Last updated: August 25, 2026
To wire money for escrow safely, never act on wiring instructions received only by email. Wait for instructions directly from your escrow officer, then call a phone number you look up independently — not one from the email — to verify the receiving bank, account number, and recipient name before your bank sends the transfer. If anything about the instructions has changed, stop and call your escrow company directly.
Why Wire Fraud Prevention Comes First, Not Last
Wire fraud aimed at real estate closings is one of the most common ways buyers and sellers lose closing funds, and it happens at the exact moment money is being wired — so prevention has to come before the transfer, not after. Criminals who gain access to an email inbox involved in a transaction — a buyer’s, an agent’s, or even an escrow company’s — monitor the file for the closing date, then send fake wiring instructions timed to arrive right before funds are due.
Once a wire transfer is sent, it typically cannot be reversed. Banks can attempt a recall, but funds sent to a fraudulent account are frequently unrecoverable within hours. That is why every step below treats verification as part of the wire transfer process itself, not an optional extra. For a deeper look at how these schemes work and how to build a defense before you ever reach the wiring stage, see Real Estate Wire Fraud Prevention.
How to Wire Money for Escrow Safely (Step-by-Step)
Wiring closing funds correctly follows a fixed sequence. Skipping or reordering these steps is where most wire fraud losses actually happen.
- Wait for wiring instructions directly from your escrow officer. Legitimate wire instructions come from your assigned escrow officer, typically delivered in person, by phone, or through a secure document portal — not as an unsolicited email attachment. Do not wire funds based on instructions forwarded by an agent, buyer, or seller unless your escrow officer has confirmed them.
- Verify the instructions by phone before sending anything. Call your escrow company using a phone number you find independently — from a prior contract, a business card, or a search of the company’s official site — never a number listed in the email containing the instructions. Confirm the bank name, routing number, account number, and account holder name verbally with a live person.
- Confirm small details match what you were told earlier. Compare the new instructions against any wiring details mentioned earlier in writing, such as in escrow instructions or a preliminary closing statement. A single-digit difference in an account number, or a bank name that doesn’t match what you were told before, is a signal to stop.
- Initiate the wire through your own bank, using the verified details. Send the wire yourself through your bank’s verified process rather than through a link or portal supplied only by email. Ask your bank about same-day wire cutoff times, since escrow companies in Los Angeles County generally need funds to post before a scheduled closing.
- Confirm receipt with your escrow officer after sending. Call to confirm the funds arrived and were applied to your file. Keep the wire confirmation number and a copy of the instructions you verified until after closing.
For a closer look specifically at confirming instructions before a transfer, see Verify Escrow Wire Instructions.
Red Flags That Signal a Wire Fraud Attempt
Most fraudulent wiring instructions share a few identifiable traits. Treat any of the following as a reason to stop and call before sending funds.
- Instructions arrive only by email, with no phone confirmation offered or requested.
- The message creates urgency — “wire today or the closing will be delayed.”
- The sender’s email domain is spelled slightly differently than your escrow company’s actual domain.
- The receiving account is titled in an individual’s name rather than the escrow company’s trust account.
- Bank or account details differ from anything you were told earlier in the transaction.
- You’re asked to reply only by email to confirm receipt of the instructions, rather than call.
These are the same patterns behind most reported escrow-related scams. For examples of how fraud shows up beyond wire instructions, see Escrow Scams. Real estate wire fraud has also been documented at scale by federal law enforcement — FBI real estate wire fraud statistics.
What to Do If You Suspect Fraud or Already Sent a Wire
Speed matters more than anything else once a wire has gone out. Call your bank’s fraud department immediately and request a wire recall, then notify your escrow officer so the file can be flagged. File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center as soon as possible, since recovery windows for wire fraud are typically measured in hours, not days. Do not wait to see if the deal falls through before reporting — reporting quickly is what gives a bank any chance of freezing the receiving account.
California Good Funds Law and Why Verification Matters Locally
California’s Good Funds Law generally requires that funds be in a form that has actually settled — such as a wire transfer or cashier’s check — before an escrow holder can disburse against them or a deed can be recorded. This is part of why wire transfers are the standard method for moving closing funds in California escrow transactions, and why verifying the destination of that wire carries so much weight: once funds settle into the wrong account, the legal protections around “good funds” don’t undo the transfer.
Los Angeles County’s high median property values make local transactions an attractive target for wire fraud schemes, since a single successful redirect can involve a large sum. Sky Escrow is licensed by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI), which oversees escrow companies operating in the state California Good Funds Law overview, License No. 96DBO-214073 (status: Active).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to wire money for an escrow closing?
Yes, wiring is the standard and generally safest method of moving closing funds when the instructions are verified by phone before sending. The risk isn’t the wire transfer itself — it’s acting on instructions that were never confirmed with a live person at the escrow company.
How do I verify escrow wire instructions before sending money?
Call your escrow company using a phone number you find independently, not one listed in the email with the instructions, and confirm the bank name, routing number, account number, and account holder name verbally.
What should I do if I get an email saying the wiring instructions changed?
Stop and call your escrow officer directly using a number you already have or look up independently. Legitimate escrow companies rarely change wire instructions late in a transaction, and any change should be verbally confirmed before you act on it.
Can I use a cashier’s check instead of a wire transfer?
In many California transactions, yes — a cashier’s check is often accepted as good funds, though larger amounts and time-sensitive closings typically use wire transfers instead. Ask your escrow officer which forms of payment your specific closing will accept.
What happens if I already wired money to the wrong account?
Contact your bank’s fraud department immediately to request a wire recall, notify your escrow officer, and file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Acting within the first hour gives you the best chance of any recovery.
Sky Escrow, Inc.
15760 Ventura Blvd, Suite 1050, Encino, CA 91436
Phone: (818) 712-0000 / (888) 891-0002
Email: info@skyescrow.com
Licensed by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation.
This article is for general informational purposes and is not legal, financial, or tax advice.
Before you wire any closing funds, call your Sky Escrow officer directly at a number you’ve verified independently to confirm the instructions in front of you — it takes a few minutes and it’s the single step that prevents almost every wire fraud loss.