Train agents.
Stop fraudsters.

endREF teaches real estate agents to spot fraud, save deals, and protect clients.

Speaker Rich Hopen addressing a conference audience

First fraud training, 2018


Speaker Rich Hopen addressing a conference audience

First fraud training, 2018


Founder Rich Hopen featured in…

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One hacked real estate agent. Ten deals attacked.

In 2026, CertifID’s Fraud Recovery Services identified 10 connected fraud incidents targeting home buyer cash to close funds. A single compromised device allowed fraud actors to leverage the brokerage’s transaction management platform to harvest the information needed for a scaled fraud attack.

I was a victim

In 2017, my wife and I sold our house in New Jersey. My attorney’s computer was hacked and our $239,000 mortgage payoff was wired into a fraudster’s account. I’m an agent and a lawyer, and it still happened.

Rich Hopen, Founder

Numbers behind the threat

1%

1%

of title companies reported 3 or more seller impersonation fraud attempts in the prior month.

ALTA

1%

1%

of title companies reported 3 or more seller impersonation fraud attempts in the prior month.

ALTA

$1.0B

$1.0B

lost to cybercrime in 2025, up 26% in one year.

FBI IC3

$1.0B

$1.0B

lost to cybercrime in 2025, up 26% in one year.

FBI IC3

$1B

$1B

lost to business email compromise, the scheme behind diverted closings.

FBI IC3

$1B

$1B

lost to business email compromise, the scheme behind diverted closings.

FBI IC3

$1M

$1M

lost to AI-enabled crime, in the first year the FBI tracked it.

FBI IC3

$1M

$1M

lost to AI-enabled crime, in the first year the FBI tracked it.

FBI IC3

Fraudsters use AI to target real estate agents.

Agents become unwitting participants

Fake meeting links, phishing, ready-made tools, and mailbox takeovers get fraudsters onto an agent’s computers. From there, they work every transaction as an insider.

AI scrapes MLS listings, ownership records, and social media to profile the agent's transactions in seconds.

AI voice cloning allows fraudster to sound like a trusted party.

AI deepfakes pass video verification.

AI enables one fraudster to create and send tailored attacks to many real estate agents.

Fraud starts months before title gets involved.

The typical buyer spends 10 weeks searching alongside their agent before a file ever opens. Most sellers hire someone they already know and trust (NAR, 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers).

There is no title company, no escrow officer.

The real estate agent is the only trusted professional who can see a fraud taking shape.

Image of NAR 2025 Profile website report

Six frauds a real estate agent can help stop

01

Buyer cash-to-close

Fake wire instructions send a buyer’s closing funds to a fraudster’s account.

01

Buyer cash-to-close

Fake wire instructions send a buyer’s closing funds to a fraudster’s account.

02

Mortgage payoff

Fraudsters intercept the payoff letter and insert their own account number.

02

Mortgage payoff

Fraudsters intercept the payoff letter and insert their own account number.

03

Earnest money deposit

The buyer’s deposit is stolen before the title process begins.

03

Earnest money deposit

The buyer’s deposit is stolen before the title process begins.

04

Seller net proceeds

Fake disbursement instructions reroute the seller’s money from the sale.

04

Seller net proceeds

Fake disbursement instructions reroute the seller’s money from the sale.

05

Commission

Fake wire instructions reroute the agent’s commission at closing.

05

Commission

Fake wire instructions reroute the agent’s commission at closing.

06

Seller impersonation

A fraudster forges a deed, poses as owner, retains an agent, and sells the property.

06

Seller impersonation

A fraudster forges a deed, poses as owner, retains an agent, and sells the property.

Three ways real estate agents get trained

01

Office Presentations

Live fraud prevention training delivered in brokerage offices.

02

Continuing Education Credit

A fraud prevention CE course, launching in New Jersey pending approval and expanding nationally.

03

endREF Certification

A verifiable credential that tells clients their agent is trained to protect them, launching nationally.

Join the fight

For Sponsors

Fraud kills deals your business depends on. Fund the training that stops them upstream, and put your name on the fix.

For Real Estate Agents

Learn to spot the attacks aimed at you and your clients, and show them you’re trained to protect them.

Trusted voice on real estate fraud

Rich Hopen, a lawyer, broker, and fraud victim, helped lead the national fight against real estate wire fraud: he presented at ALTA’s launch of the Coalition to Stop Real Estate Wire Fraud alongside a U.S. Senator and ALTA’s CEO, joined NAR’s industry and law enforcement roundtable with the FBI, ALTA, and the Mortgage Bankers Association at NAR’s invitation, and served on ALTA’s Wire Fraud Coalition advisory board.

“Rich is a fantastic collaborator. He advised us on a national Coalition to Stop Real Estate Wire Fraud. Rich exemplifies leadership traits that mobilize others to action. He’s smart, strategic, impassioned, empathetic, curious, and persistent.”

Justin Ailes

Former SVP Policy, American Land Title Association

“Rich is articulate and determined to get real estate brokerages focused on wire fraud. I’m impressed with his command of the topic and how to get others interested in the problem.”

Thomas Cronkright

Co-founder & Executive Chairman, CertifID

“Rich brings a combination you almost never find in one person: attorney, top-ranked commercial broker, residential agent, and founder. … He is always working to improve the real estate customer experience.”

Scott Nagel

Former President, Redfin

“We brought Rich in twice to train our agents and featured him on our podcast because his message matters that much.”

Jonathan Steingraber

CEO & Broker of Record, Signature Realty

a close-up of a map

The fraudsters are ready for your closings. Are you?

End Real Estate Fraud

© 2026 EndREF

endREF provides fraud prevention education.

Training does not guarantee that fraud will be prevented.

Nothing on this site is legal advice.

End Real Estate Fraud

© 2026 EndREF

endREF provides fraud prevention education.

Training does not guarantee that fraud will be prevented.

Nothing on this site is legal advice.

End Real Estate Fraud

© 2026 EndREF

endREF provides fraud prevention education.

Training does not guarantee that fraud will be prevented.

Nothing on this site is legal advice.