{ "topic": "payoff demand", "generatedAt": "2026-06-03T20:12:49.069Z", "count": 2, "records": [ { "id": "dfpi-eac-006", "slug": "2024-06-18-meeting-minutes-06", "sourceId": "dfpi-escrow-advisory-committee", "title": "DFPI Escrow Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes", "agencyName": "California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation", "jurisdiction": "California", "meetingDate": "2024-06-18", "publishedDate": null, "recordType": "meeting_minutes", "recordTypeLabel": "meeting minutes", "sourceUrl": "https://dfpi.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/337/2024/07/2024-6-18-EAC-Meeting-Minutes.pdf", "rawFileUrl": "https://dfpi.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/337/2024/07/2024-6-18-EAC-Meeting-Minutes.pdf", "sourceSnapshotHash": "8ecdfccf666924fdb4b6a60aa77c8cce2061dbd92a32838e9da42284d0f2c7a9", "textHash": "7d7d47b8feaed42853ecf84361dee044325f4edbc67b4e61f5c998773d2b3c1e", "extractedTextStatus": "complete", "topics": [ "escrow", "title", "settlement funds", "consumer protection", "wire fraud", "business email compromise", "escrow instructions", "wire instructions", "seller proceeds", "buyer funding", "payoff demand", "trust account", "cybersecurity", "title insurance", "complaints", "education", "training", "real estate fraud", "NMLS", "licensing", "examinations", "enforcement" ], "entityNames": [ "DFPI", "Escrow Advisory Committee" ], "quotedTerms": [ "escrow", "title", "settlement funds", "consumer protection", "wire fraud", "business email compromise", "escrow instructions", "wire instructions", "seller proceeds", "buyer funding", "payoff demand", "trust account", "cybersecurity", "title insurance", "complaints", "education", "training", "real estate fraud", "NMLS", "licensing", "examinations", "enforcement" ], "summary": "meeting minutes from California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation with public discussion or agenda items touching title, settlement funds, consumer protection, wire fraud, and business email compromise.", "reviewedStatus": "machine_extracted", "createdAt": "2026-06-03T20:12:49.069Z", "updatedAt": "2026-06-03T20:12:49.069Z", "relevantPassages": [ " Silberberg questioned whether both escrow companies and employees need to be licensed as professionals for it to work. Additionally, escrow employees in real estate and title-controlled companies need to meet the same standards as those in independent escrow companies if exemptions are not removed. Controlled escrow operations are compartmentalized. Silberberg agreed with Davis on removing broker exemptions. Felde stated that he is in favor of a professional license for the settlement agent industry because escrow agents operate as professionals. A professional license leads to education, whi", "DFPI’s website. During the review of Fountain Valley Escrow’s annual audited report, a DFPI examiner noted a particular reconciliation item which identified a fraudulent wire out due to a wire hacking incident. A special exam was assigned to investigate the issue further. The licensee explained that their business was hacked and they basically fell victim to a phishing scheme which led to the unauthorized wires that were sent out from their trust account. The licensee claimed that the bad actor gained access to their business operation system, including phone and email. The special exam disclo", " effectively regulate the industry. Due to extremely limited resources, the escrow program’s exam team could only focus on priority examinations and cases causing direct consumer harm such as embezzlement and misappropriation of trust funds, etc. Cutting expenses did not appear to be an effective way of eliminating the deficit. So the DFPI needs to work with the industry to solve the deficit on the revenue side. This means reevaluating some of the fees and assessments that have not changed for decades or identifying new revenue sources. Greg Young shared with the committee in the last meeting ", "ails. Some policies only cover the cost of having someone investigate the Page 4 of 10 cyber incident but not the loss of trust funds. Davis commented that payoff demand fraud was also on the uptick, similar to cyber-attacks which target settlement agents. Liang informed the advisory members that the DFPI legal division is reviewing the recommendations from advisory members regarding rulemaking on audit procedures. The DFPI is also reviewing the lender vetting issue. Liang will share updates when they are available. 6. Examination Issues Suzuki stated that the exam staff have moved from conduc", "ners are working diligently to investigate and finalize their results for these possible conservatorship cases. Page 6 of 10 Two of those three cases appear to be due to cyber theft, and the other appears to be a misappropriation of funds by the owner. Nothing else could be shared publicly on these ongoing investigations. Suzuki will provide more when these investigations are completed, and appropriate actions are taken. Liang added that the examiner’s hours incurred handling in-house conservatorships are not billable to any companies, and the DFPI cannot recover the costs from doing in-house " ] }, { "id": "dfpi-eac-009", "slug": "2024-03-12-meeting-minutes-09", "sourceId": "dfpi-escrow-advisory-committee", "title": "DFPI Escrow Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes", "agencyName": "California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation", "jurisdiction": "California", "meetingDate": "2024-03-12", "publishedDate": null, "recordType": "meeting_minutes", "recordTypeLabel": "meeting minutes", "sourceUrl": "https://dfpi.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/337/2024/06/2024-3-12-EAC-Meeting-Minutes.pdf", "rawFileUrl": "https://dfpi.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/337/2024/06/2024-3-12-EAC-Meeting-Minutes.pdf", "sourceSnapshotHash": "e36e5e7f59d0dee2ddb1c9cb55fa97a43e6cccee5d1fe746e17911d314a54452", "textHash": "54c4c0e31d92a21091870cf2001eae266eb65886dd12d4e6b149de95d2ed5916", "extractedTextStatus": "complete", "topics": [ "escrow", "title", "settlement funds", "consumer protection", "payoff demand", "trust account", "cybersecurity", "title insurance", "education", "training", "licensing", "examinations", "enforcement", "escrow accounting software" ], "entityNames": [ "DFPI", "Escrow Advisory Committee" ], "quotedTerms": [ "escrow", "title", "settlement funds", "consumer protection", "payoff demand", "trust account", "cybersecurity", "title insurance", "education", "training", "licensing", "examinations", "enforcement", "escrow accounting software" ], "summary": "meeting minutes from California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation with public discussion or agenda items touching title, settlement funds, consumer protection, payoff demand, and trust account.", "reviewedStatus": "machine_extracted", "createdAt": "2026-06-03T20:12:49.069Z", "updatedAt": "2026-06-03T20:12:49.069Z", "relevantPassages": [ "sactions could not be delayed. Those licensees suffered a loss in revenue. Other licensees reported delayed payoffs for transactions which First American was used as the title company. As a result of the delay, customers asked for interest on funds due to them. One licensee reported their cyber insurance provider had notified them after the cyber incident that their cyber insurance policy would not be renewed due to recent cyber incidents in the mortgage, title and settlement industries. Liang reminded licensees to be vigilant. Licensees may refer to Commissioner’s November 30, 2018 release nu", "fected their escrow closing and they had anywhere between 1 and 75 escrow transactions being affected. 2 licensees reported the cyber incident caused a shortage in their trust account and that the shortage had been cured prior to the date of the survey 199 licensees reported they had a cyber insurance policy. Licensees who installing accounting system in their local server were not affected by the cyber incident. Licensees who used the cloud version of the system experienced service interruptions in their business. Some licensees’ transactions were cancelled by their customers because the cust", "h those actions. The acts of those licensees hindered the DFPI’s ability to collaborate effectively with the industry on matters related to the safety of trust funds and consumer protection. 5. Ad Hoc Committee Reports (Annual Report) Garcia gave a brief update for the status on Ad Hoc committee’s review of CPA auditing procedures. The Ad Hoc committee has finished its work, and it is currently with Felde and Silberberg. Felde stated the Ad Hoc committee focused on defining various terms and reports. 6. Vetting of settlement agents Page 3 of 5 Juliana Tu provided a brief summary of lender vett", " were cancelled by their customers because the customers’ transactions could not be delayed. Those licensees suffered a loss in revenue. Other licensees reported delayed payoffs for transactions which First American was used as the title company. As a result of the delay, customers asked for interest on funds due to them. One licensee reported their cyber insurance provider had notified them after the cyber incident that their cyber insurance policy would not be renewed due to recent cyber incidents in the mortgage, title and settlement industries. Liang reminded licensees to be vigilant. Lice", "fected their escrow closing and they had anywhere between 1 and 75 escrow transactions being affected. 2 licensees reported the cyber incident caused a shortage in their trust account and that the shortage had been cured prior to the date of the survey 199 licensees reported they had a cyber insurance policy. Licensees who installing accounting system in their local server were not affected by the cyber incident. Licensees who used the cloud version of the system experienced service interruptions in their business. Some licensees’ transactions were cancelled by their customers because the cust" ] } ] }