Changed settlement instructions near closing

A fictional settlement team receives a message changing the destination account for a scheduled payment. The message correctly identifies the borrower and property, uses a familiar display name and says that closing will be delayed unless the account is changed immediately. The approved instructions show different bank details. An established independent verification process is available, including previously known contact information and required authorization. A team member proposes replying to the same message to authenticate it, while another proposes using the approved process despite the time pressure. No evidence yet establishes whether the request is genuine or fraudulent. Students must distinguish knowledge of transaction details from authority to change payment instructions, preserve the records and explain an appropriate escalation without inventing a universal bank guarantee or statutory deadline.