Orlando homebuyers lose $46,000 in title company impostor scheme! Lawsuit blames realtor’s lax security protocol
This hack was made possible due to a Real Estate Agent failing to secure their systems. The matter has escalated to a court case resulting in the Real Estate Agent being sued for breaching their own policy. Even though there was a disclaimer yet the Agents actions have created a liability.
ORLANDO, Fla. – An Orlando couple wired a $46,000 down payment to a title company they thought was legitimate, but later learned it was really a spoofed IP address for hackers based in South Africa. The home buyes were given the bad information by their real estate agent.
“You see this stuff in the news and then it’s happening to you,” Brian Bridges said. “It’s a gut punch.”
Bridges and his wife, Sandie, told News 6 they emailed their agent, Kelly Butterfield, of Remax 200, to get wiring instructions for the down payment on their new home never thinking she had sent a link through a hacked account.
According to attorney Moses Dewitt, of the Dewitt law firm, Butterfield forwarded email instructions from what she believed to be information from Orlando-based Title Team.
“Based on this scenario, we believe the real estate agent is accountable because she breached her own policy, which is a huge problem,” DeWitt said. “You know there’s a security problem yet you continue laissez-faire with your own conduct.”
This court case will be interesting and could change