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Massapequa Man Scammed Out of $112K in Sophisticated Real Estate Wire Fraud Scheme

By George Mcgregor
228
Wire Fraud
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), Business Email Compromise (BEC) scams, which include real estate wire fraud, resulted in over $2.7 billion in reported losses in 2022 alone. Real estate closings are a frequent target due to the high-value transactions and the number of parties involved. File photo: Zwiebackesser, licensed.

MASSAPEQUA, NY – Nassau County Police are investigating a case of grand larceny after a local man was defrauded of more than $100,000 in a real estate scam.

According to the Electronics Squad Fraud and Forgery Unit, the incident occurred on Monday, July 21, 2025, around 11:00 a.m. A 28-year-old man was in the process of closing on a property when he began exchanging emails with someone he believed to be his real estate attorney. Following the instructions provided in those emails, he wired approximately $112,000 to a specified bank account.

Shortly afterward, the victim was contacted by his actual attorney, who informed him that the prior messages were fraudulent and had not come from his office. Authorities believe the funds were sent to an unknown individual impersonating the victim’s attorney.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with information about this crime is urged to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS or call 911. All calls will remain anonymous.

About Real Estate Wire Fraud

This incident in Massapequa is part of a growing national trend involving real estate wire fraud, a type of scam that has become increasingly common in recent years. Criminals often impersonate attorneys, title agents, or real estate professionals by hacking or spoofing email accounts. They then send fraudulent wire instructions to unsuspecting homebuyers, leading to the loss of large sums of money – often with little to no chance of recovery.

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), Business Email Compromise (BEC) scams, which include real estate wire fraud, resulted in over $2.7 billion in reported losses in 2022 alone. Real estate closings are a frequent target due to the high-value transactions and the number of parties involved.

How to Protect Yourself

  • Always verify wire instructions by phone using a known and trusted number – never rely solely on email communications.
  • Be suspicious of last-minute changes to payment details or urgent requests.
  • Use multi-factor authentication on email accounts involved in financial transactions.
  • Work with reputable real estate and legal professionals who take cybersecurity seriously.

If you believe you are the victim of wire fraud, contact your bank immediately and file a report with the FBI at ic3.gov.

Important: This story is categorized as a crime story and thus it is important to note that charges are accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
George Mcgregor

Mr. McGregor is our staff news reporter who focuses primarily on reviewing and editing (if necessary) all media alerts and press releases for Long Island Guide. Media advisories, alerts and press releases can be sent via this online form and, if approved, will be published free of charge. There is no guarantee your release will be published; inclusion is at the discretion of our editors. We receive hundreds of media advisories and news alerts per day and choose a select few for publication. Please see our editorial guidelines and terms of service.

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