Joel DyckReal Broker SK Ltd.
Saskatoon · From the topic map

Should a Saskatoon agent be warning me about wire fraud, and what does a good answer sound like?

Yes, a Saskatoon agent should be raising wire fraud before every closing, because the risk is real and the fix is simple. The Law Society requires your lawyer to verify payment instructions directly rather than by email alone, and a good agent repeats that instruction in plain language well before possession day.

A good answer names the mechanism, not just the warning. It explains that a criminal can intercept an email thread near closing and send fake banking details that look like they came from your lawyer's office, often from a slightly altered address, and that funds sent to the wrong account are very hard to recover.

It also gives you something to do, not just something to fear. Call your lawyer's office at a number you already have, never one from the email itself, before confirming or updating any banking detail, and expect your legal fees, typically $800 to $1,500, to be handled through the lawyer's trust account rather than by wire instructions in an email.

Joel Dyck raises this with every client near possession day, because the few minutes it takes to phone and confirm is the entire defence. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.

Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.

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