At First National Title Company, protecting Arkansas buyers, sellers, and lenders from real estate fraud is a core part of every closing. Seller impersonation schemes remain one of the fastest-growing threats in the title industry, and our teams stay alert to the red flags that can prevent significant losses.
We're proud to share that three members of our Malvern office—Salina Rivers, Kristi Finley, and DeeDee Coffman—recently received Fraud Buster Certificates for working together to stop a sophisticated seller impersonation attempt. Their manager, Dana Smith, submitted the story that led to the recognition.
The recognition was issued through FNF ALMA (part of the Fidelity National Financial family of underwriters, which includes Chicago Title). Below is the full write-up they provided:
🚨 Fraud Buster Recognition 🚨
Seller impersonation fraud continues to be one of the fastest-growing threats facing our industry.
Last week, we recognized Salina Rivers, Kristi Finley, and DeeDee Coffman of First National Title in Malvern, Arkansas, with Fraud Buster Certificates for working together to stop a sophisticated seller impersonation attempt.
Immediately after receiving the order, the team noticed several inconsistencies that simply didn't feel right. Rather than accepting the information at face value, they asked additional questions, verified key details, and worked together to investigate the concerns. Their diligence ultimately confirmed that the individual claiming to be the seller was, in fact, an impersonator, preventing a potentially devastating fraud.
This office utilizes ClosingLock as an important fraud prevention tool, but in this case the fraud was detected before it ever reached that stage. It was the team's knowledge, curiosity, and willingness to ask the right questions that stopped the fraudster in his tracks. Vigilant people make the difference!
Congratulations to Salina Rivers, Kristi Finley, and DeeDee Coffman on this well-deserved recognition. A special thank you to their manager, Dana Smith, for submitting this fraud buster story.
This outcome underscores what we emphasize every day across our statewide offices: technology is a valuable layer of protection, but experienced people who know when something doesn't feel right remain the strongest defense. Congratulations again to Salina, Kristi, and DeeDee—and thank you to the entire Malvern team for the care they bring to every file.