Security Service Mortgage Loans
Did you know that almost 75% of mortgage firms are operating their business with severely compromised communication with clients?
Sensitive financial and personal information is being sent in a rather risky way.
Both small and large mortgage firms are utilizing unsecured email accounts to send files. This is a huge problem for everyone involved. It puts the consumers at risk, and it puts the mortgage firm and their online business security at risk, too. Not to mention, it is also a violation of the FTC Safeguards Rule to send secure loan documents and files in an unsafe way.
The FTC Safeguard rule states that a firm can only send sensitive materials when encrypted. Lenders need to utilize a secure portal to transmit sensitive documents.
So how can lenders send the sensitive information that they need to send at the rate needed in a secure and safe way?
How can they prevent a data breach?
ETS – the experts in business IT solutions – explains corporate cybersecurity further:
Sharing Mortgage Loan Documents
Mortgage paperwork seems endless, right?
Faxing and emailing is a thing of the past. Your applicants probably don’t even have a fax machine. Asking them to hunt one down is inconvenient. It also takes too much time to scan and then store sensitive documents.
So, an obvious quick solution for a loan officer is to email their clients, right? Not so fast.
Emailing seems like a super fast way to send files, like a client’s application, title, closing work, or appraisal documents. But, the reality is that emailing documents isn’t always safe.
Email is too easily accessed by multiple servers and individuals. It’s compromised.
Encrypting seems like an obvious choice, and many providers like Gmail or Outlook have HTTPS or SSL as their default setting. However, these settings do not encrypt the sensitive contents in an email, which in turn compromises lender confidentiality.
You need a secure small business network, backed by a top-notch IT team to keep things running safely and smoothly.
The Risks Of Mortgage Document Management
When a client is applying for a mortgage, a massive amount of private information is being sent back and forth to their lender. This info is all needed, but highly sensitive.
A client’s application could require that the following private info is sent:
- Name
- Addresses
- Driver’s license/photo ID
- Social security number
- Employment info/Pay-stubs
- Bank statements/Asset info
- Tax returns
There are many people in the lending process services that see this info, from the main loan officer – all the way to the closing department team.
Applicants may give their permission for this info to be sent because they know that it’ll speed up the process – it feels convenient – but no one feels safe.
The reality is that consumers feel less and less safe, and feel dissatisfied with how their personal info is being transmitted and protected.
What About The Cloud?
There is always the option of using a private Dropbox for sharing these sensitive documents. Uploading sms mortgage info to a Dropbox account is relatively simple.
But is it safe? Could it be considered a violation of compliance rules?
This method lacks the protections required by most IT departments to keep the client and their information safe. Unauthorized use of private cloud accounts can happen, too.
Did you know that some of the worst culprits of data breaches in business network security are a firm’s own employees?
It’s not always from malicious intent that causes breaches – it’s usually just basic human error. It’s unavoidable.
A lender needs a secure portal for effective client communication, that allows for a secure way to send and store sensitive documents.
How to Speed Up Mortgage Applications Safely
A mortgage approval process that is smooth and fast for a client keeps the customer happy and it also benefits the lender. It can help to build a profitable bottom line.
Happy borrowers = happy homeowners in less time.
So how can sending secure loan docs be done safely? By developing a network security for business.
The safest approach is to reach out to ETS Business IT Solutions. We will support your business IT operations – we put a security strategy into everything they do.
We will build a safety solution that meets your needs and exceeds client communication best practices – saving time and giving you a peace of mind. We know how to prevent a data breach.
IT Small Business Solutions
Because communication relies heavily on humans, your important communications are at risk to phishers. This is why securing email servers has become a full time 24/7 job.
If you are concerned about IT for small business and communication security, please contact us through our website. Your concerns are very real – and real steps can be taken to secure your client communications. We can offer you cyber security tips for small business that are effective and clear.
At ETS, we are experts in best practices to prevent data breaches and developing small business security policy. We will create a plan that makes you a secure mortgage company in an ever-changing cyber-world.
