Realty Scams on the Upswing

The Housing Scene, Aug. 14, 2026-Lew Sichelman

For the second consecutive year, the FBI has warned consumers and real estate professionals about the rising tide of title thefts.

“Nationwide, from 2019 through 2023, 58,141 victims reported $1.3 billion in losses relating to real estate fraud,” reads a 2025 report from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Typically, the scam works like this: Using fake IDs, criminals impersonate property owners — often the owners of vacant land, empty houses or unused vacation homes — and obtain their personal information through county or state public websites, data brokers, hackers, stolen accounts or phishing schemes.

Once they find a mark, they contact a local realty agent, title company or deed office, posing as the true owner. They ask to draft contracts to market and sell the property or have the deed transferred to themselves or another party. Then, they take the money from the illegal sale and skedaddle.

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