What is seller impersonation fraud?
Seller impersonation fraud is a scam in which someone poses as a property's owner to sell it. The fake seller hires a real real estate agent and a real title company, the business that checks ownership and handles the money at closing. When the sale closes, the money goes to the scammer, and they disappear.
It differs from classic deed theft. In deed theft, a criminal files a forged deed first and then poses as the new owner. A fake seller often skips that step and simply pretends to be you. The FBI says one scheme also used a made-up deed to look more convincing.
It is becoming common. In the American Land Title Association's (ALTA) 2026 study, 59% of title firms reported at least one seller impersonation attempt in the past year. In 2024, it was 28%. Firms that saw an attempt in the past month rose from 19% to 45%.
Title firms seeing fake sellers more than doubled since 2024
Share of title firms that saw at least one seller impersonation attempt in the past year
Show the numbers
| 2024 study | 28% |
|---|---|
| 2026 study | 59% |
| Title firms that saw an attempt | 2024 study | 2026 study |
|---|---|---|
| In the past year | 28% | 59% |
| In the past month | 19% | 45% |
Source: ALTA Critical Issues Study: Seller Impersonation Fraud, September 14, 2026 (245 title firms in 40 states). These are attempts, not completed sales.
- Deed
- The legal paper that moves ownership of a property from one person to another.
- County recorder
- The local office that keeps deeds and other property records. Some places call it the clerk or register of deeds.
- Lien
- A legal claim on a property for a debt, such as a mortgage.
- Title company
- A business that checks who owns a property, insures the title and handles the money at closing.
- Escrow
- Money held by a neutral party, such as a title company, until a sale closes.
- Notary
- A person licensed to check ID and watch someone sign a document.
- Absentee owner
- An owner who doesn't live at the property, such as the owner of land, a rental or a second home.
How does a fake seller scam work?
The scam follows the same path almost every time. The FBI described it in a June 2026 warning to property owners.
- Pick a target from public records. Scammers look for land or homes with no mortgage or lien, often owned by older or out-of-state owners. They gather the owner's details from county websites, data brokers and stolen data.
- Build a fake identity. They make fake IDs, open email accounts in the owner's name and use internet phone numbers.
- Hire a real agent. Posing as the owner, they ask an agent to list the property, often below market value, and ask for no "For Sale" sign.
- Avoid every meeting. They say they are ill, traveling or abroad, and sign through a notary they choose.
- Take the money and vanish. They ask for the sale money by wire, sometimes to an account in another name or another state.
The real owner often finds out last. California's real estate regulator says these scams usually come to light only when the sale papers are filed with the county recorder. By then, the sale has closed.
Which properties do fake sellers target?
Vacant land is the top target. Nobody lives there to notice a stranger, a listing or a survey crew. The table below shows how often title firms see each kind of property in these scams.
Vacant land is the No. 1 target for fake sellers
Share of title firms that rate each property type as at least somewhat common in seller impersonation fraud
Show the numbers
| Vacant land | 82% |
|---|---|
| Owner lives elsewhere | 72% |
| No mortgage | 68% |
| Owner recently died | 55% |
Source: ALTA Critical Issues Study: Seller Impersonation Fraud, September 14, 2026
Paid-off property is a target too. California's regulator says scammers search public records for property with no mortgage or lien, often owned by older or absentee owners. Our deed theft statistics page has more numbers on who is targeted.
What do real seller impersonation cases look like?
These cases come from court records and news reports. They show how far a fake seller can get.
What are the red flags of seller impersonation?
The biggest sign is a seller who won't show up. ALTA's general counsel put it simply.
"One of the biggest red flags is somebody who never wants to get on the phone, but even that's becoming easier to spoof with AI."
A seller who avoids meetings is the top red flag
Share of title firms that rate each sign as at least somewhat common in seller impersonation fraud
Show the numbers
| Avoids meetings or calls | 89% |
|---|---|
| Mail-away signing or own notary | 88% |
| Cash sale | 87% |
| No mortgage on the property | 86% |
| Price below market | 82% |
| Seller and notary in different states | 70% |
Source: ALTA Critical Issues Study: Seller Impersonation Fraud, Exhibit 6, September 14, 2026
Agents, title companies and buyers should watch for these signs of title company fraud. One alone may be harmless. Several together are a warning, as California's real estate regulator notes.
- Contact only by email, text or internet phone, and no in-person meeting or live video call.
- A price below market value and a push for a fast, cash-only closing.
- No "For Sale" sign wanted on the property.
- Little knowledge of the property, or no survey, tax bill or other papers.
- Their own notary, often in another state or country.
- Wire requests to an account in another name, another state or overseas.
- A title holder who has died. 60% of title firms now rate it a common red flag, up from 36% in 2024.
Good title companies check the owner directly. The FBI tells buyers and agents to send a certified letter to the owner's address on the tax record. California's regulator also suggests asking for a recent tax or utility bill and using an identity check service when the seller won't meet. In ALTA's study, firms most often caught fake sellers while clearing the title before closing. For other scams that hit owners and buyers, see our guide to real estate fraud.
How can owners protect their property from fake sellers?
Make yourself easy to reach and quick to warn. Most defenses depend on the title company finding the real you.
- Sign up for your county's free alert. The FBI's first tip for owners is to ask the recorder or clerk about alerts. Our guide to the free property fraud alert explains how it works and what it misses.
- Keep your tax mailing address current. Title companies and agents may write to the address on the tax record to confirm a sale.
- Search listing sites for your property a few times a year, especially land or an empty home. Look on Zillow, Realtor.com and Facebook Marketplace.
- Check your owner's title insurance. The FBI notes that some policies cover forgery after you buy, including legal costs.
- Ask a neighbor to call you if they see a "For Sale" sign, a survey crew or builders on your land.
What should you do if someone tries to sell your property?
Act the same day. If the sale hasn't closed, the title company can still stop it.
- Call the listing agent and the title company named on the listing or in any letter. Tell them you are the owner and are not selling.
- Check your county record for any new deed in your name, and print what you find.
- Report it to the police, and file a report at ic3.gov. The FBI asks for the scammer's email addresses, phone numbers and the bank account that got the money.
- Talk to a real estate attorney if a deed was filed. Our guide on what to do about a fraudulent deed walks through each step.
Frequently asked questions
What are some examples of home title fraud?
The most common are deed theft, where someone files a forged deed in their own name, and seller impersonation, where someone poses as the owner to sell. Others include loans taken out against a home by an impostor and scams that trick owners into signing their deed away. Our guide to real estate fraud covers six of them.
How can you tell if a seller is scamming you?
Be careful when a seller won't meet in person or on live video, prices the property low and pushes for a fast cash sale. Other signs are a notary they pick, a request to wire money to an account in another name, and little knowledge of the property. The FBI suggests sending a certified letter to the owner's address on the tax record.
How do you know if land for sale is legit?
Look up the parcel on the county assessor or recorder website and note the owner's name and mailing address. Then contact that owner directly, not through the seller's phone or email. Use a title company for the purchase and never wire money before it confirms the seller is the owner.
What is a land scam?
A land scam usually means someone selling vacant land they don't own. Land is the No. 1 target because no one lives there to notice. In ALTA's 2026 study, 82% of title firms said vacant land is at least somewhat common in seller impersonation fraud.
Who loses money in a seller impersonation scam?
The buyer can lose the purchase money, and the owner is left with a fake sale on their record to undo. Title companies pay too. In ALTA's 2026 study, one in four title firms that saw an attempt also paid a claim, and half of those with a known average cost said it topped $100,000. In the Concord case, a developer had started building on the stolen lot before the owners found out.
Check who your county says owns your property
Look up your property on your county's website, check the mailing address and sign up for its free alert. Then see whether a recorded notice makes sense for your land or home.
See how Still My Home worksSources
- Critical Issues Study: Seller Impersonation Fraud, American Land Title Association, September 14, 2026
- Seller impersonation fraud more than doubled since 2024, HousingWire (ALTA 2026 Critical Issues Study), September 14, 2026
- Protect your property from illegal sales through parcel owner impersonation, FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, PSA I-061626-PSA, June 16, 2026
- Vacant land scams advisory, California Department of Real Estate, December 30, 2025
- How scammers allegedly impersonated Concord landowners, Boston.com, July 24, 2026
- Man sentenced in scheme that impersonated owners to sell South Florida properties, South Florida Sun-Sentinel (via Yahoo News), April 7, 2025
- 'It is not real': Title company owner warns of new twist to title fraud, NBC 6 South Florida, September 20, 2024