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Security & fraud prevention
Escrow fraud almost never breaks the bank — it convinces you to send money somewhere else. Here is how we work, and what to watch for.
How we hold funds
Client money sits in a segregated escrow trust account at a U.S. bank, held in the name of the escrow trust rather than CORDIW LLC. It is not commingled with operating funds, not used for company expenses, and not available to company creditors. Disbursements are made only against the escrow instructions signed by both parties, and every movement is dual-reviewed before release.
How we verify people
- Government-issued photo identification for every individual named on a file.
- Formation documents, EIN and beneficial-ownership identification for entities.
- Confirmation that the funding account is in the name of the buyer on the file. Third-party wires are returned.
- OFAC and watch-list screening on all named parties before funds are accepted.
- Verbal confirmation, by phone, of any change to a disbursement account.
Rules we do not break
- We will never ask for payment in cryptocurrency, cash, gift cards or a payment app.
- We will never ask for your account password or a full card number by email.
- We will never pressure you to fund "within the hour to hold the deal".
- We will never send disbursement to an account we have not verified with the party by phone.
Recognising a fake escrow company
Fraudsters frequently invent an escrow agency, or clone a real one, and steer both parties to a website they control. The tells are consistent:
- The counterparty insists on a specific escrow provider and resists any alternative.
- The site was registered recently, or the domain is a near-miss spelling of a known company.
- Bank details are for a personal account, or an account in a country unrelated to the business.
- The phone number goes to voicemail permanently, or the address does not correspond to a real office.
- Fees are far below market, or the site promises to hold cryptocurrency.
Before funding anything, verify the escrow agency independently: look up the entity, call the published number, and confirm the office address. Ours is 970 Utica St, Denver, CO 80204, and the number is (719) 345-2298.
If you think you have been targeted
Contact your bank immediately and ask for a wire recall — the first twenty-four hours matter more than anything else. Then report it to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov and to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. If the attempt involved someone impersonating Cordiw Agency, forward it to info@cordiwagency.com with full headers so we can act on it.