Fake mortgage servicer or insurer claiming the homeowner's insurance lapsed and an expensive force-placed lender policy will be charged to escrow unless coverage is renewed or proof of insurance is provided via email link immediately — credential-harvest and advance-fee fraud; real force-placed insurance notices require 45 days advance written notice under RESPA/CFPB rules, never cold email same-day threats.

Fake mortgage servicer or insurance company claiming the target's homeowner's insurance policy has lapsed or been cancelled and that the mortgage servicer will force-place an expensive lender-placed insurance policy charged to the escrow account or monthly payment unless the target renews coverage or provides proof of insurance via email link immediately — credential-harvest and advance-fee attack targeting homeowners. Real force-placed insurance notifications are delivered by mortgage servicers via USPS certified mail under RESPA/CFPB requirements (12 CFR 1024.37) providing at least 45 days' advance notice before force-placement; cold emails claiming "your homeowner's insurance lapsed — we will force-place expensive coverage and charge your escrow unless you renew via link today" are payment-diversion and credential-harvest attacks. Force-placed insurance is a real and feared outcome (policies can be 5–10× more expensive than standard coverage), making this lure highly credible. Distinct from mortgage-escrow-shortage-phish (escrow analysis shortage pretext) — this targets the homeowners insurance lapse / force-placed lender-placed insurance / renew or provide proof of coverage / escrow charged vocabulary. Detection: homeowners insurance lapsed + force-placed/lender-placed insurance + escrow charged + renew immediately or provide proof + no List-Unsubscribe + no In-Reply-To + not protected sender. Trash score: +4. Source: GC1-R30; CFPB force-placed insurance guidance (12 CFR 1024.37); RESPA lender-placed insurance rules; FTC mortgage servicer fraud advisory; CISA real estate phishing patterns 2025.