Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  10/12/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Hello, we are in the process of obtaining title insurance for a land purchase in Monroe County PA, we had engaged this title agent, supplied all requested contracts, agreements, and documents. This was all done via Email. We were given wire instructions, a $1 test wire was sent to verify the accuracy of the escrow account. The title agent refused to confirm receipt of wire, i kept getting phone calls at inopportune times of the day. I requested confirmation via the same exact email address that all documents, contracts, agreements and communications were conducted upon. they refused this, and , abruptly resigned right in the middle of the deal. I am concerned about not only highly unprofessional behavior, but the security of any and all transactions conducted through First United Land Transfer. I would like them investigated for potential fraudulent transactions. If i cannot have my wire monies verified in writing, many many red flags are raised. THank you for your time and consideration to this matter.

  Business response

  10/23/2023

  I am writing in response to the complaint file *********.  The details of the complaint are unfounded and incorrect.

  On September 26, 2023, we received an email from the complainant instructing our office to open a title order for 7.2 acres of vacant land in Monroe County.  The complainant also requested our office to hold a $25,000 earnest money deposit.  With a proper escrow agreement, we occasionally hold deposit money. It is common in our area for the real estate listing broker to hold deposits.  The complainant wanted to wire the deposit money to our office.  Our office has implemented safeguards regarding wire transfers to protect the consumers’ funds.  There are multiple steps involved to prevent cyber theft of buyers and sellers’ funds.  Also, this was a cash transaction involving vacant land with multiple owners and decedents. Our office has implemented additional safeguards to prevent fraudulent deed conveyance on vacant land which is on the rise in Pennsylvania.  We were not presented with contact information on the sellers.  The escrow terms presented by the complainant were not in line with the terms of the agreement of sale. We were asked to have all communication through email which does not meet the minimum standards of our fraud prevention policy.
  
  Regarding the wire transfer, business email compromise is the largest way for cyber criminals to divert consumers funds. Our office does not use email to send wire instructions.  The first step in a wire transfer is to have the consumer obtain our wire instructions through the CertifID secure portal.  The complainant was able to complete this process.  The next step is for our staff to personally speak with the consumer to verify the wire instructions received. On October 9, 2023, at 12:27 in the afternoon our processing manager left a voice mail message with the complainant stating a wire transfer of $1 or any amount was not received. Also, the processing manager proceeded to explain our process and asked to speak to the complainant by phone. The complainant replied by email that email communication is preferred and followed up with an additional email stating for us to respond by email.
  
  We did not receive a $1 wire, nor did we receive any funds from the complainant. We did notify the complainant by email to state we did not receive any funds. The complainant failed the very basic process by not wanting to have a phone conversation with our staff to verify funds, to provide seller information and review real estate fraud prevention. Our office resigned from this transaction in the beginning stage of the title order due to the inconsistencies and behavior of the complainant and his unwillingness to help our office prevent real estate fraud.

  Customer response

  10/24/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  statements are factually incorrect, many correspondences were done via email including the processing of all written documents and contracts ,with clear replies from the business in writing.

  it only became an 'emergency' to make phone calls when the receipt of a  $1 test wire was inquired about.  then, all communication in writing continued, and even know they had already been receiving, sending and corresponding with sensitive documents, it suddenly became vital to have a phone call on a phone number that was unverified by the business. This raise suspicions of fraudulent transfer, when suddenly, the entire method of communication was changed without warning.

  and so, i again politely and respectfully request management of this business to please contact me by phone, to discuss futher in detail.

  Regards,
  
  ***************************

  Business response

  10/30/2023

  October 23, 2023 

  Dear *** *******:
  

  I am writing in response to the complaint by ********* ***** your file 20729226. The details of *** *****’s complaint are unfounded and incorrect.
  On September 26, 2023, we received an email from *** ***** instructing our office to open a title order for 7.2 acres of vacant land in Monroe County. *** ***** also requested our office
  to hold a $25,000 earnest money deposit. With a proper escrow agreement, we occasionally hold deposit money. It is common in our area for the real estate listing broker to hold deposits.
  *** ***** wanted to wire the deposit money to our office. Our office has implemented safeguards regarding wire transfers to protect the consumers’ funds. There are multiple steps
  involved to prevent cyber theft of buyers and sellers’ funds. Also, this was a cash transaction involving vacant land with multiple owners and decedents. Our office has implemented
  additional safeguards to prevent fraudulent deed conveyance on vacant land which is on the rise in Pennsylvania. We were not presented with contact information on the sellers. The
  escrow terms presented by *** ***** were not in line with the terms of the agreement of sale. We were asked to have all communication through email which does not meet the
  minimum standards of our fraud prevention policy.

  Regarding the wire transfer, business email compromise is the largest way for cyber criminals to divert consumers funds. Our office does not use email to send wire instructions. The first step
  in a wire transfer is to have the consumer obtain our wire instructions through the CertifID secure portal. *** ***** was able to complete this process. The next step is for our staff to
  personally speak with the consumer to verify the wire instructions received. On October 9, 2023, at 12:27 in the afternoon our processing manager ****** ****** left a voice mail message
  with *** ***** stating a wire transfer of $1 or any amount from *** ***** was not received.

  Also, she proceeded to explain our process and asked to speak to *** ***** by phone. **. ***** replied by email that email communication is preferred and followed up with an
  additional email stating for us to respond by email.

  We did not receive a $1 wire, nor did we receive any funds from *** *****. We did notify **. ***** by email to state we did not receive any funds. *** ***** failed the very basic process
  by not wanting to have a phone conversation with our staff to verify funds, to provide seller information and review real estate fraud prevention. Our office resigned from this transaction
  in the beginning stage of the title order due to the inconsistencies and behavior of *** ***** and his unwillingness to help our office prevent real estate fraud.
  

  Sincerely,
  ****** ** *******,
  President

  Customer response

  10/30/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I want a phone call from the owner of this business or owners' representative, commensurate with their policy to prevent fraud.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  

  Business response

  11/17/2023

  After receiving the rejection to our initial response, an owner from our company called the complainant as requested.  This time the complainant accepted the phone call.  The owner explained the purpose of the call was to review our fraud avoidance policy but was continually interrupted by the complainant using a belligerent tone. After a few minutes listening to the complainants insults, it was clear the complainant did not want to hear our fraud avoidance policy.  This is unfortunate because as stated in our original response our goal was to protect buyers and sellers from real estate property transfer fraud.  We can only achieve this with direct communication with all parties to the transaction.  When the complainant only wanted to communicate by email it created many concerns and that is why we resigned from the order.  The complainants statement that we would not confirm a $1 wire is false. After the phone call with the complainant,it appears that it is not his  intention to resolve any concern.

  Customer response

  11/20/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  

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