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Property & large purchases

Fake owners and property deposits

A fake owner offers discounted property for a quick sale, misleading buyers and agents into paying a deposit.

See response steps Share this in a workshop
Two people reviewing and writing on paper beside laptops

If you have one minute

Pause, then verify independently.

Online-only contact and rushed closing

Before paying

Verify title through formal records and professionals

See verification steps →

If you paid or shared details

Pause the sale and remaining payments

See response steps →

Start with these three signs

  • Online-only contact and rushed closing
  • Identity and recipient do not match
  • Rejects independent ownership checks

How the situation unfolds

  1. Contact

    Property listings, urgent agency instructions or closing messages.

  2. The lure

    The owner needs cash; a deposit today secures the discount.

  3. The demand and outcome

    Public property records and stolen identity documents make a false sale look real, directing payment to an unrelated account.

Verify these things before paying

  1. Verify title through formal records and professionals
  2. Contact the owner independently and check authority
  3. Verify contracts and escrow before paying

Already engaged or paid?

  1. Pause the sale and remaining payments
  2. Alert your bank and agent
  3. Give police identity documents, fund destinations and a timeline

Contact your payment provider and local police promptly. The responsible institution must confirm whether a payment can be stopped, disputed or returned.

Keep these records

Listing and agency instructions
Ownership and identity checks
Contract and deposit demands
Recipient account and payment receipt

Keep originals and organise working copies. Never give strangers verification codes, banking passwords, private keys or seed phrases.

Original references

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)Publisher location：United States · EnglishOpen the original reference ↗https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/newark/news/fraudsters-are-stealing-land-out-from-under-owners

This page summarises public prevention guidance to help recognise methods. It is not an enforcement conclusion about a particular incident. Check the source page for its original title. Procedures and reporting routes vary by jurisdiction. Compiled October 2026.

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