Buying property feels solid. Bricks. Land. Something you can touch.

Yet the theft happens entirely on screens and in inboxes.

So how does someone steal it without you noticing?:

📧 Wire fraud at closing - Criminals infiltrate email chains between buyers, agents, and title companies, then send fake wiring instructions minutes before closing, when stress is highest and verification drops. One spoofed email can redirect your entire down payment to a fraudster’s account.

🏚️ Seller impersonation - Fraudsters scan public records for vacant land, then impersonate the real owner to sell what they don’t own. Forged deeds, fake notary stamps, quick all-cash closings. The actual owner often finds out months later. The ultimate play: “sell it before they notice.”^[ref]

🔐 Title theft - Criminals transfer ownership to themselves using forged deeds, then take out loans against the property or sell it. Victims usually discover the fraud when mortgage bills arrive for loans they never took.

📄 Document forgery - Fake contracts, doctored valuations, manipulated closing documents. Everything looks official - stamped, signed, notarized. This isn’t technical hacking; it’s administrative theater by someone who knows exactly how legitimate closing paperwork should look.

💸 Escrow and deposit theft - Criminals pose as escrow agents or create fake escrow companies. Eager buyers wire deposits to accounts that vanish overnight. The money is gone, and the “company” never existed.

Seller impersonation is surging: 54% of real estate professionals reported at least one attempt in 2023, and 62% of title fraud cases involve vacant land - yet only about half of consumers were aware of these risks before closing. As a result, roughly 1 in 20 Americans who recently bought or sold a home became a victim of real estate fraud. High transaction values, complex paperwork, time pressure, and blind trust in “professionals” are pure gold for criminals aiming to intercept funds or steal property outright^[ref].

🚨Advice - how to reduce the risk:

- For buyers and investors: Never trust last-minute wire instruction changes - call your title company using a number you looked up yourself, not one from an email. Verify title history independently. Assume documents can be forged until proven otherwise. If it feels rushed, it probably is.

- For real estate professionals: Cross-check seller identity against public records. A name on a document means nothing if the person behind it is a fraud. Nearly 60% of consumers receive little to no fraud education from their agent - be the exception. Treat unusual urgency, all-cash offers on vacant land, and requests for remote notarization as red flags.

Real estate theft rarely looks like a crime at first. It looks like paperwork, confidence, and a great opportunity.

The difference between a legitimate deal and a scam is often one phone call you didn’t make.