CyberWyoming: Suspicious CMMC Grant Site and Real Estate Closing Scam

Everything below comes from an alert from CyberWyoming.

Suspicious CMMC Grant for Small Businesses Site
A Wyomingite sent us a question about this grant site. https://www.cybergrantsalliance.org/
It claims to be a nonprofit that gives grants to small businesses wanting to be CMMC compliant. However, the organization is not listed on the IRS’s Charity lookup website or on Charity Watch. Its social media presence is very small (18 followers on LinkedIn). In addition, the Whois lookup says it is registered via cloudflare and is registered in Wyoming. I looked them up on the WY Secretary of State’s site and they were registered through an agent in Sheridan and their board of directors (3 people) all have addresses in Virginia.

So, either, it is very very new or it is a scam. Proceed with caution. If you choose to engage, do not give them any information about you or your business.

Real Estate Closing Scam
Thanks to First Federal Bank & Trust in Sheridan for sharing this information and advice. This scam would be devastating to anyone buying a home. Please read and share.

Subject: Important Real Estate Wire Fraud Alert for Realtors and Homebuyers
Dear Real Estate Professionals,
We want to make you aware of a recent wire fraud scam that impacted a real estate transaction in our community and share some reminders that may help protect both you and your clients.
In this incident, it is believed that the realtor’s email account was compromised. After gaining access to email communications, the perpetrator identified an upcoming real estate closing and gathered information about the transaction, including the title company involved and the names of legitimate employees.
Using that information, the perpetrator created what appeared to be official title company paperwork and sent fraudulent wiring instructions to the buyers. The documentation closely resembled legitimate closing documents, but contained subtle discrepancies, including an incorrect business address. The email appeared to come from a title company employee; however, it was actually sent from a Gmail account using the employee’s name rather than the employee’s legitimate business email address.
The buyers followed the wiring instructions and sent their closing funds to a fraudulent account. The scam was discovered when they arrived at closing and the title company had not received the funds.
Importantly, the funds were not stolen from a First Federal Bank & Trust account. Rather, the buyers were deceived into sending funds directly to an account controlled by the perpetrator before the closing could take place.
We are also aware of a second attempted fraud involving a different title company but the same realtor, suggesting that the realtor’s email account may have been the source of compromise. Fortunately, in that case the buyers obtained a cashier’s check instead of wiring funds and no loss occurred.
Warning Signs to Share with Buyers
Because these scams often involve legitimate local businesses and actual transaction details, they can appear highly credible. Please encourage your clients to be cautious of any email containing wiring instructions, especially if:
• The instructions are received by email without prior discussion.
• The sender’s email address does not match the company’s official domain and instead uses Gmail, Yahoo, or another personal email service.
• Updated or replacement wiring instructions are sent shortly before closing.
• The destination account differs from previously provided instructions.
• The message creates a sense of urgency or discourages independent verification.
Best Practices for Realtors and Buyers
Before any funds are wired:
• Independently contact the title company using a known and trusted phone number.
• Verify all wiring instructions verbally with the title company.
• Confirm that the receiving account information matches what has been previously provided.
• Treat any last-minute changes to wiring instructions as a significant red flag until independently verified.
• Encourage buyers to call and verify instructions even when documents and emails appear legitimate.
• Consider discussing wire fraud risks with clients early in the transaction so they know what to expect before closing.
Protecting Realtor and Brokerage Email Accounts
Because this incident appears to have originated from a compromised email account, realtors and brokerages should take steps to secure their email systems and reduce the likelihood of account takeover.
We encourage real estate professionals to:
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all email accounts.
• Use strong, unique passwords that are not shared across multiple websites or services.
• Be cautious when opening links or attachments received through email, particularly from unexpected senders.
• Be especially cautious if an unexpected email takes you to a site that requires you to login using your email credentials.
• Regularly review email forwarding rules and account settings for unauthorized changes.
• Promptly report suspicious emails, login notifications, or unusual account activity to your IT provider or email provider.
• Keep computers, phones, and software updated with the latest security patches.
• Train staff to recognize phishing attempts and other social engineering tactics that are commonly used to steal credentials.
Real estate transactions contain valuable financial information and often involve significant sums of money, making real estate professionals attractive targets for cybercriminals. Securing email accounts is one of the most effective ways to prevent these scams before they begin.
What First Federal Bank & Trust Does
Protecting our customers from fraud is a shared responsibility, and we take several steps to help identify suspicious wire activity.
For title companies with which we regularly work, we are familiar with the financial institutions and accounts they typically use to receive closing funds. If wiring instructions direct funds to a different bank or account than expected, we will seek independent confirmation from the title company through verified contact information before proceeding whenever possible.
While these controls help reduce risk, fraudsters continually adapt their tactics. Independent verification by realtors, buyers, lenders, title companies, and financial institutions remains one of the most effective safeguards against wire fraud.
Working Together to Protect Our Community
We encourage realtors to discuss wire fraud risks early in the transaction process and remind buyers that they should never rely solely on emailed wiring instructions, regardless of how legitimate they appear.
A few minutes spent independently verifying wiring instructions can prevent a devastating financial loss.
Thank you for your partnership in helping protect homebuyers and our community. If you have questions or would like additional information regarding wire fraud prevention, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
First Federal Bank & Trust