Office Guard
Industries We Serve

Built for the Offices
Attackers Target Most

Real estate offices, small retail, boutique law firms, and accounting practices handle sensitive data and large financial transactions — making them prime targets. Our protection is tailored to the specific threats each industry faces.

Real EstateRetailLegal & Law FirmsAccounting & Tax
3.4B
Phishing emails sent every day worldwide
$2.9B
Lost to BEC attacks in the US last year (FBI IC3)
91%
Of cyberattacks begin with a phishing email
300%
Increase in attacks targeting small professional offices since 2020
Real Estate

Wire Fraud Is the Fastest-Growing Threat in Real Estate

Real estate transactions involve large wire transfers, multiple parties, and time pressure — a perfect environment for email-based fraud. One redirected wire can cost a client their entire down payment. Time is of the essence.

$446M
Lost to real estate wire fraud annually (FBI)
17,000+
Real estate fraud victims per year in the US
2 min
Average time to redirect a wire once credentials are stolen

Top Threats Targeting Real Estate

Closing wire fraud
Attackers monitor email threads and send spoofed wiring instructions at the last moment, redirecting closing funds to fraudulent accounts.
Impersonation of title companies
Fraudulent emails impersonating title companies or escrow agents instruct buyers to wire funds to attacker accounts.
Phishing for MLS and CRM credentials
Fake login pages harvest agent credentials, giving attackers access to client data and listing information.
Earnest money fraud
Spoofed emails redirect earnest money deposits before buyers realise the instructions are fraudulent.

Topics We Cover

  • Recognizing closing wire fraud attempts
  • Verifying wiring instructions by phone — every time
  • Identifying spoofed title company emails
  • Protecting client financial data in email
  • Reporting suspected fraud to clients and authorities

Compliance We Support

  • NAR Code of Ethics — technology and data security
  • State real estate commission requirements
  • RESPA and TRID data handling obligations
  • Cyber insurance policy requirements
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Retail

Small Retail Is a High-Value, Low-Defense Target

Retail businesses process payment card data, manage vendor relationships by email, and operate with lean IT staff — making them easy prey for phishing, BEC, and payment fraud. A single successful attack can cost more than a month of revenue.

43%
Of all cyberattacks target small businesses like retail (Verizon DBIR 2024)
$148K
Average cost of a data breach for small retail businesses
60%
Of small businesses close within 6 months of a cyberattack (NCSA)

Top Threats Targeting Retail

Vendor invoice fraud (BEC)
Attackers impersonate suppliers and send fraudulent invoices or updated banking details, redirecting payments to accounts they control.
Gift card scam emails
Spoofed emails from "the owner" instruct staff to purchase gift cards and share the codes — a fast-growing attack costing retail SMBs millions annually.
Credential phishing for POS and e-commerce systems
Fake login pages harvest credentials for point-of-sale platforms, Shopify, or payment processors, enabling card data theft and fraudulent orders.
Ransomware via phishing attachment
A single click on a malicious email attachment can encrypt inventory, sales, and customer records — shutting down operations until a ransom is paid or data is restored.

Topics We Cover

  • Recognizing vendor invoice fraud and BEC attempts
  • Verifying payment instruction changes by phone
  • Identifying gift card scam emails
  • Safe handling of customer payment data
  • Reporting suspected fraud quickly to limit losses

Compliance We Support

  • PCI DSS — cardholder data security requirements
  • State data breach notification laws (all 50 states)
  • FTC Safeguards Rule (for retailers offering financing)
  • Cyber insurance policy requirements
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Accounting & Tax

You Hold Exactly What Identity Thieves Need

Social Security numbers, bank details and whole financial histories, all arriving by email. The IRS requires tax preparers to keep a written information security plan — and email is where that plan meets reality.

Required
A written information security plan, under IRS Pub 4557
Any size
FTC Safeguards Rule applies regardless of firm size
Filing season
Your highest-risk period for phishing and payment fraud

Top Threats Targeting Accounting & Tax

Client data sent by email because it was quickest
A client emails a W-2, or a staff member replies with a Social Security number to keep a return moving. Office Guard warns before that message leaves and offers to encrypt it instead.
Impersonation of the IRS or e-Services
Fake notices about your EFIN, your e-file status or a client account harvest credentials. IRS Publication 4557 names this specifically as a threat to watch for.
Spoofed tax software and cloud providers
Messages that appear to come from your tax software or document portal lead to a login page that is not theirs.
Payment redirection during filing season
Fraudulent emails redirect a client refund, a payroll run or a vendor payment — at the time of year when nobody has a spare minute to verify anything.

Topics We Cover

  • Recognising IRS and e-Services impersonation
  • Handling taxpayer data safely in email
  • Verifying payment and refund instruction changes by phone
  • Filing-season phishing patterns
  • What to do in the first hour after a suspected data theft

Compliance We Support

  • IRS Publication 4557 — Safeguarding Taxpayer Data
  • FTC Safeguards Rule (GLBA) — applies to tax preparers with no exemption for firm size
  • Written Information Security Plan (WISP) requirement
  • State data breach notification laws
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Risk by Industry

The Numbers Don't Lie

Real estate, retail, legal, and accounting businesses face a disproportionate share of email-based attacks — and the financial consequences are severe.

Real Estate

Wire Fraud Losses — Real Estate (FBI IC3)

Reported losses in $M by year

0M250M500M20202021202220232024
Wire Fraud ($M)
$446M
2024 wire fraud losses
9,521
Victims in 2024
$46K
Avg. loss per victim
109%
Increase since 2020

Source: FBI IC3 Internet Crime Report 2024

Retail

Top Attack Types — Small Retail

% of SMB retail incidents by type (Verizon DBIR 2024)

Phishing / Social Engineering74%
BEC / Invoice Fraud61%
Credential Theft48%
Ransomware35%
Gift Card Scams29%
$148K
Avg. breach cost
43%
SMB attack share
$8.3K
Avg. BEC loss
60%
Close after attack

Sources: Verizon DBIR 2024; IBM Cost of a Data Breach 2024; NCSA

Legal & Law Firms

Attack Types Targeting Law Firms

% of firms reporting each threat type (ABA 2024)

Phishing / Spear-phishing84%
Business Email Compromise71%
Wire Fraud via Email58%
Ransomware44%
Credential Theft39%
$4.4M
Avg. breach cost
25%
Firms breached in 2024
$485K
Avg. wire fraud loss
3 of 4
Attacks via email

Sources: ABA Legal Technology Survey 2024; FBI IC3

Accounting & Tax

Healthcare Data Breaches — Annual Count

Reported breaches affecting 500+ records (HHS)

512716920201920202021202220232024
$10.9M
Avg. breach cost
92%
Start with email
329 days
Avg. detection time
$2.9B
Reported BEC losses, 2023 FBI IC3

Sources: IBM Cost of a Data Breach 2024; HHS Breach Portal

Your Industry. Your Threats. Your Protection.

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