The Rhode Island Association of Realtors is cautioning home buyers to be wary of all email communication with their supposed real estate agents after a new scam came to light last week.

Internet hackers are breaking their way into agents’ email accounts, familiarizing themselves with the agent’s signature, use of English and all of their current transactions. Then the hackers establish another email address, nearly identical to an agent’s, and pose as the realtor asking clients to wire money to them for deposits.

Two clients from Keller Williams Realty were victims to the scam. One was asked to wire $13,000 and the other $20,000. The first lost their money, while the other angrily called his agent, bringing the scam to light when the agent had no idea what was going on.

Connor Dowd from Keller Williams Realty said this is “not your average email scam, but is rather quite sophisticated. He said the hackers are not only mirroring an agent’s emailing style and signature, they are also targeting clients who are in the middle of a transaction so the email really isn’t “something out of the ordinary” from what they may be expecting already. Similarly, where the hackers could request any amount they are holding to the amounts already discussed in previous emails.

“This scam was timed perfectly,” Dowd said. “There are no immediate red flags.”

Currently, no other customers have come forward, but Dowd says this type of scam has been active nationwide for the last two years, clients losing anywhere from $12,000 to $30,000, but also upwards of $250,000.

In response to the hacks, Keller Williams Realty now alerts customers to be on the lookout for suspicious emails and to only do wire transactions after it has been negotiated and explained over the phone by a “trusted individual,” not through email.

“Wires are part of our business, but they have to be done right,” Dowd said. “The goal now is to speak out so the brokerage community is aware.”

Similarly, Keller Williams is also having their employees regularly change their email passwords to avoid another hacking. They are working with insurers to see if they can get any funds back to the family that lost $13,000. Both clients affected by this scam asked to be unnamed.