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Protecting Against Technical Support Fraud
Tech support fraud remains widespread, with over 30,000 FBI-reported victims in 2022. Learn common tactics—fake calls, pop-ups, remote access—and how to avoid them with Richter Guardian’s help.
Protecting Against Real Estate Wire Fraud
Introduction
Real estate wire fraud is a scam where criminals impersonate trusted parties to redirect money during a property transaction.
These transactions often involve large wire transfers, and time-sensitive communication between buyers, sellers, lawyers, real estate agents, title companies, notaries, and financial institutions.
Together, these factors make real estate transactions a prime target for fraud.
For high-net-worth individuals, and executives, the risks can be especially significant.
Property purchases and sales may involve large sums of money, multiple advisors, and sensitive personal or financial information. A single fraudulent email or payment can lead to substantial financial loss.
The most important rule is simple: before sending money, always verify wire instructions by phone using a trusted number you already have, not one provided in an email.
Why it matters
Real estate transactions remain a major target for fraud. In 2025, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center reported more than 12,000 real estate fraud complaints and over $275 million in reported losses. This was higher than 2024, when losses were about $173 million.
These losses show how common and damaging real estate fraud can be. In many cases, the victim believes they are sending funds to a legitimate party, only to discover that the money was redirected to a fraudulent account.
How the attack works
Attackers often begin by gaining access to an email account involved in the transaction or by impersonating one of the parties. They may silently monitor the conversation and wait for the right moment to intervene.
Once attackers understand the details of the deal, they send a convincing email with fraudulent bank details that redirect the money to the attacker. Attackers may impersonate any party involved in the transaction, such as a real estate agent, lawyer, title company representative, or even the buyer or seller themselves.
Because the attacker may know specifics like dollar amounts, property addresses, and names of people involved, the message can look legitimate, making the email extremely convincing.
How to protect yourself
The most effective protection is independent verification. Before sending any wire transfer, call the intended recipient using a trusted phone number that was provided in person, saved previously, or found through an independently verified source.
Do not rely on contact information included in an email containing wire instructions. If an attacker controls the email conversation, they may also provide a fake phone number to “confirm” the fraudulent details.
This is especially important as AI voice cloning becomes more convincing. A phone call is only useful if the number is trusted. When in doubt, use a number you already know or independently verify the number through an official website or previously established contact.
The same approach should be used for any high-value payment, account change, or request involving sensitive financial information.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious of:
- Last-minute changes to wire instructions
- Pressure to wire immediately
- Email addresses that look slightly off, such as ‘titlecompany.co’ instead of ‘titlecompany.com’
- Request to confirm payment details only via email
- Unusual urgency, secrecy, or changes in communication style
- New bank account details that were not previously discussed
However, a well-crafted attack may not include any obvious warning signs. Rather than trying to decide whether an email “looks suspicious”, treat all wire instructions as unverified until they are confirmed by phone using a trusted number.
Before sending a wire transfer
Before sending funds, take these steps:
1. Confirm the wire instructions by phone using a known, trusted number.
2. Verify the recipient's name, bank name, account number, routing number, and payment amount.
3. Do not use phone numbers or links provided in the same email as the wire instructions.
4. Be especially cautious about last-minute changes.
5. If anything feels unusual, pause the transaction and contact your advisor, bank, or security team.
How Richter Guardian can help you
Richter Guardian can help reduce the risk of wire fraud through proactive monitoring, personal cybersecurity guidance, and expert support to secure accounts, devices, credentials, and identity-related information.
If you are unsure about a transaction, receive suspicious payment instructions, or want added protection before a high-value transfer, contact us.
Ready to stay protected from digital threats, with experienced professionals overseeing your security?
Request a private consultation to find out whether Richter Guardian is a good fit for you.
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Introduction
Cyber criminals have been carrying out technical support scams for over a decade. As technology evolves, so do the techniques of fraudulent tech support scammers, making it difficult for people to discern whether the technical support team they’re speaking to is legitimate. Technical support scams are so common that the FBI’s Internet Crime Report of 2022 reported that ‘Tech Support Crime’ had over 30,000 recorded victims in 2022.
Summary of a technical support fraud
Technical support scammers use many different techniques to trap people and gain access to their computers and other devices. After they convince you that there is a problem, they request an exorbitant fee in return for their help. Here are two of the most common methods technical support scammers use to trick their victims:
- Phone calls, emails and text messages – Technical support scammers may call, email or send a text message and pretend to be a computer technician from Apple, Microsoft, or any well-known technology company. They will assure you that there is a problem with your computer, and request that you give them remote access to your computer to help remediate the issue.
- Pop-up warnings – Technical support scammers may trick you with pop-up windows; it may look like an error or warning message from your device, and it may use similar graphics from trusted websites. The pop-up will often provide a phone number that you can call to get help. The phone number will lead to a fraudulent tech support worker.
Recommendations
- Stay Informed – Always be skeptical of unsolicited calls, emails or text messages that report a problem with your device.
- Prevent Remote Access – When a technical support scammer has you on the line, they will convince you to provide them remote access to your device in order to run diagnostic tests. Do not provide remote access to your device.
- Trust Your Instincts – If you are suspicious about an unexpected message, call, or request for personal information or money, it is safe to assume it may be a scam.
- Stay Educated – Participate in security awareness sessions provided by your Richter Guardian team, your bank or other trusted organizations.
We understand that misleading pop-ups or warnings about your device through a call can cause uncertainty. Richter Guardian’s monitoring system and concierge service can give you peace of mind.
Your onboarded mobile and endpoint devices can be monitored by us. If there is a problem with your device, we will contact you to provide specific details about any potential alerts. Our experts can help you remediate the issue.
Ready to stay protected from digital threats, with experienced professionals overseeing your security?
Request a private consultation to find out whether Richter Guardian is a good fit for you.
Travelling and Social Media – How To Keep Safe
Posting vacation photos in real time can make you a target. We share five tips: private accounts, no travel details, share after you return, and educate kids—plus how Richter Guardian helps secure social accounts.
Introduction
It’s natural to want to capture the moments from your special vacations and share them on platforms like Facebook and Instagram with family and friends. However, posting these photos while you are still on your trip can expose you to various cybersecurity risks. Cybercriminals often exploit social media to gather information about your travel plans, and by sharing your vacation in real time, you may unknowingly make yourself a target.
How to enhance your security on vacation
By following these precautions, you can enjoy your vacation while minimizing the risks associated with social media sharing:
- Set Your Account to Private: Restrict access to your personal information by sharing only with people you know. Public settings allow anyone to view your posts, potentially putting you at risk.
- Decline Requests from Unfamiliar Individuals: Be cautious when receiving friend requests from strangers. Unfamiliar profiles might be cybercriminals in disguise, aiming to extract money or steal your identity.
- Avoid Posting Travel Details or Itineraries: Keep your travel arrangements private. Sharing confirmation numbers for hotel reservations, airline tickets, or excursions online can provide cybercriminals with valuable information they can exploit.
- Share Photos After Returning Home: Although it may be tempting to post in real-time, consider waiting until you’re back home. You can still share your vacation highlights, and it’s a safer approach.
- Educate Your Children on Social Media Safety: While you might be aware of how to stay safe online, your children might not. Ensure they understand the importance of secure sharing practices during and after the trip.
Ready to stay protected from digital threats, with experienced professionals overseeing your security?
Request a private consultation to find out whether Richter Guardian is a good fit for you.
Apps and Location Tracking: What Are the Consequences?
Apps collect and sell location data—with serious privacy implications. We explain what’s collected, how it’s used (e.g. Tim Hortons), and practical steps to limit tracking on your phone.
Introduction
Of the many digital traces we leave in daily life, location metadata may be the most revealing. Location tracking is common in many applications because it’s so useful – it can allow you to get directions from here to there, discover the closest restaurants near you, or tell you your local weather conditions. These perks, however, can come with large privacy risks.
Companies that you would never suspect needing so much of your data, are quietly collecting enormous amounts of data. For example, in 2020, an investigation was done on Tim Hortons, as the Tim Hortons app reportedly tracked an individual’s location more than 2,700 times in five months. Commissioners say Tim Hortons collected “vast amounts” of granular location data with the aim of delivering targeted advertising, to better promote its coffee and associated products, but that it never actually used the data for this purpose.
Some of the apps on our phone sell or share location data about their users with companies that analyze the data and sell their insights. There are many ways location data can be used, and the market for this data is huge – the location data industry is an estimated $12 billion market. Collectors, aggregators, marketplaces, and location intelligence firms are potential buyers interested in your location data.
What is being collected?
Some apps genuinely need your location to work properly, but others have different motives. Many collect location data for reasons unrelated to their main function, like targeted ads or selling it to data brokers.
Once an app collects your location data, you lose control over where it goes. It can be sold repeatedly—from data providers to aggregators that combine information from multiple sources. It could end up in the hands of a “location intelligence” firm that uses the raw data to analyze foot traffic for retail shopping areas and the demographics associated with its visitors.
You might think, “I have nothing to hide.” But location data can reveal much more than you realize, such as:
- Where you get medical treatment and what kind
- If you visit a domestic abuse shelter
- Where you worship
- Where your kids play (if they have phones)
- When you’re on vacation and where you go
- Where you shop, eat, and bank
- Who you spend time with
Even though this data isn’t directly linked to your name, experts have shown that it’s easy to match location history with other data to identify people and their habits. In 2020, a religious publication used smartphone app data to infer the sexual orientation of a high-ranking Roman Catholic official. The publication claimed it obtained “commercially available” location data from an unnamed vendor and linked it to the priest’s phone, revealing visits to gay bars and private residences while using Grindr, a dating app popular with the LGBTQ+ community.
Privacy advocates have long cautioned that advertisers gather location and personal data, which is then compiled and sold by data brokers. This information can be used to identify individuals and is not subject to regulations requiring clear consent from those being tracked.
What can I do to limit location tracking?
The quickest and easiest way to reduce tracking is to delete unnecessary apps. Both Android and Apple allow you to check which apps have access to your location and whether they track it only while in use or all the time. If you don’t use an app often, consider removing it.
Your location can be tracked through your phone, logged-in accounts, internet connection, and location services. To limit oversharing, take these steps:
- Only allow location access for apps that truly need it.
- Set location permissions to “While Using the App” instead of “Always.”
- Only share “Find My Phone” with trusted friends and family.
- Review third-party apps in location settings—you might be sharing more than you realize.
Despite these precautions, location tracking can’t be completely eliminated. It’s important to support companies that provide clear and transparent privacy policies.
Ready to stay protected from digital threats, with experienced professionals overseeing your security?
Request a private consultation to find out whether Richter Guardian is a good fit for you.