Resource
Checklist: Wire-Transfer Verification
Written for law firms, title companies, and anyone sending or receiving large payments.
- 01Treat any change to wiring instructions as suspicious, however routine it looks.
- 02Verify by phone, using a number from an independent source, such as the original contract or the recipient’s official website. Never use a number from the email requesting the payment.
- 03Read back the details. Confirm the beneficiary name, bank, and account details aloud with the verified contact.
- 04Require two people to approve outgoing wires above a set amount.
- 05Inspect the sender’s address, including the reply-to address, for look-alike domains.
- 06Tell clients in writing at the start of every matter that you will never change wiring instructions by email.
- 07Protect your own email. Require multi-factor authentication and check accounts for unexpected forwarding rules.
- 08If funds go to the wrong account, call your bank immediately and ask it to recall the transfer, then report it to the FBI at ic3.gov. Speed matters.
General guidance only, not legal advice.