Woman Loses $2.2M in Dewey Beach Real Estate Fraud Scam

Scammers intercepted a multimillion-dollar wire transfer meant to close a real estate deal in Dewey Beach, Delaware.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A Dewey Beach woman named Johanna Berkowitz was preparing to finalize the purchase of a $2.2 million piece of real estate in November 2025. However, scammers gained access to the communications between Berkowitz, her real estate agent, and her brokerage, and sent a fraudulent email with instructions to wire the closing funds to a fraudulent bank account. Berkowitz unknowingly transferred the $2.2 million to the scammers, who immediately withdrew or redirected the funds elsewhere.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing threat of wire fraud and email scams targeting real estate transactions, which have resulted in billions of dollars in losses for American consumers in recent years. It underscores the need for heightened vigilance and security measures when conducting high-value financial transactions.

The details

According to the lawsuit, Berkowitz received a "fraudulent email from a spoofed address" that appeared to be from a real estate coordinator at the law firm representing her. The email contained instructions for wiring the $2.2 million in closing funds to a Truist Bank account controlled by the scammers. Berkowitz's brokerage then transferred the money to the fraudulent account, and Truist later reported the funds were immediately "withdrawn or redirected elsewhere." The lawsuit claims the scammers either gained access to computers controlled by Berkowitz or her real estate agents and attorneys involved in the transaction.

  • In November 2025, Johanna Berkowitz was preparing to finalize the purchase of a $2.2 million piece of real estate in Dewey Beach.
  • Two days later, a settlement statement was sent to Berkowitz for her review and signature, reiterating the closing price of just over $2.2 million.
  • Around the same time, Berkowitz received the fraudulent email with instructions to wire the closing funds to the scammers' account.

The players

Johanna Berkowitz

A Dewey Beach resident who was preparing to purchase a $2.2 million piece of real estate.

Truist Bank

The bank where the scammers had set up the fraudulent account to receive the wire transfer.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

The federal agency that reported American consumers lost $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, a 25% increase over the prior year, with wire fraud being among the most common and successful scams.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The lawsuit names 'John Does 1-100' as defendants and seeks the court's permission to subpoena IP addresses, banking records and other information to identify the scammers to try to recover the stolen money.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing threat of wire fraud and email scams targeting real estate transactions, which have resulted in billions of dollars in losses for American consumers in recent years. It underscores the need for heightened vigilance and security measures when conducting high-value financial transactions, such as verifying wiring instructions with a trusted source rather than relying solely on email communications.