Buying in Hill County? Verify closing funds before you wire

AI editorial illustration · Not an actual closing, named property, person or documented event

Julie Siddons RealtorsPublished October 22, 20264 min read

THE SHORT ANSWER

Before wiring money for a home in Hillsboro, Whitney or nearby Hill County communities, verify the payment instructions directly with your closing office using a phone number you established independently. Treat unexpected changes as a reason to pause. If you suspect money went to a scammer, contact your bank immediately and report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Build your contact list before closing week

The move you are planning might mean a shorter drive into Hillsboro, mornings near Whitney, or more room outside town. Protecting the money for that move belongs on the same checklist as the walkthrough and the keys. This is a practical prevention guide, not a report of a new local incident.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommends identifying trusted real estate and settlement contacts ahead of closing. Save their names and independently confirmed phone numbers before urgent messages begin arriving. Ask your closing office how it provides payment instructions and how you should verify them. Keep that contact information somewhere you can reach without opening the latest email.

A familiar-looking message is not verification

The FBI describes business email compromise as a scam that can imitate a person or company you already know. Its examples include a homebuyer receiving false down-payment instructions supposedly from a title company. Slightly altered addresses and access to genuine email conversations can make a request seem convincing.

Inspect the complete sender address, but do not treat correct spelling, a familiar logo or an existing email thread as sufficient proof. Be particularly cautious when a message adds pressure to act immediately or changes the destination account. Protect your own email with multifactor authentication where available; the FBI recommends keeping that protection enabled.

Know the company handling your closing

The Texas Department of Insurance recommends using a licensed title insurance company and provides an online license-check link in its title insurance FAQ. Establish the identity of your actual closing provider early, then keep its verified contact details with your purchase paperwork.

TDI also explains that a title commitment comes before closing and identifies conditions, potential issues and exceptions. Review it with the title professional and raise questions while there is time to address them. Verifying the company, reviewing title documents and confirming a particular payment instruction are separate tasks. Completing one does not replace the others.

Give the transfer its own quiet moment

Before sending funds, step away from packing, driving or multitasking. Call the closing office using your saved number and confirm the intended recipient and account instructions. The FBI recommends verifying payment requests and changes in person or by telephone. Do not use a replacement phone number supplied inside the questionable message.

The CFPB advises against emailing sensitive financial information and warns that fraudulent requests can also arrive by phone. If someone calls unexpectedly asking for personal details, return to your established contact instead. Ask the closing office which secure method to use for any documents it genuinely needs.

If something went wrong, act immediately

If you believe a transfer was diverted, contact the bank that sent it immediately. IC3 directs victims to request a recall or reversal and ask about the bank-to-bank documentation needed to support recovery. Do not wait until the closing appointment or assume that replying to the suspicious sender will resolve it.

File a detailed report through the official IC3 website and provide the transaction information its form requests. Prompt action may help, but recovery is not guaranteed. Notify your verified closing contact so the transaction team understands what happened. For your Hill County purchase, build this verification pause into the closing plan before funds are due.

Your next steps.

Save independently confirmed agent and closing-office phone numbers.
Verify the title insurance company through TDI’s official resources.
Pause and independently confirm any changed payment instructions.
Enable multifactor authentication on your email account.
Confirm payment details directly before sending funds.
If fraud is suspected, contact your bank immediately and report at IC3.gov.

Go to the source.

Sources checked October 22, 2026. Follow the linked source for current requirements.

Research-assisted editorial guidance, not property-specific legal, tax, financial, or engineering advice. How we research and update the journal.