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Survey finds wire fraud tops title and escrow threats for second year

Qualia said 64% more title and escrow professionals reported wire fraud keeps them up at night, as nearly 80% of firms faced a fraud attempt in the past year.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Industry

HousingWire reports on findings from Qualia’s 2026 survey of more than 800 title and escrow professionals, which found wire fraud remains the top threat facing the industry for the second year in a row.

The survey described recurring schemes in which fraudsters spoof seller emails and redirect wire instructions, enabling them to move funds from transaction files before anyone notices. In a detailed example, a coordinator updated wire instructions based on a supposed seller request, and $100,000 in seller proceeds were wired the next day, creating a loss in the title company’s escrow account.

Qualia found phishing and business email compromise were the most common starting points for attacks. More than 11% of victimized firms lost over $1 million to fraud, while 36.5% reported losses between $100,000 and $1 million.

HousingWire also noted that the share of respondents concerned by wire fraud rose 64% year over year, and that nearly 80% of title and escrow firms faced a fraud attempt in the past year. Qualia said evolving tactics like cryptocurrency conversion and more sophisticated account takeovers can move stolen funds faster than before.

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