Fraud Prevention
Know the scams. Protect your money. Stay safe at every step of your real estate transaction.
Real estate wire fraud is on the rise. Before wiring any funds, always verify wiring instructions directly with your title company or attorney by phone — using a number you independently verify, never one provided in an email.
Download Wire Fraud Warning PDFWatch & Learn
Watch our fraud prevention guide — covering the most common schemes targeting buyers, sellers, and realtors today.
Stay Informed
These are the most common schemes targeting buyers, sellers, and agents. Know the red flags before they cost you.
A hacker gains access to your realtor's email account, monitors your upcoming closing, then poses as your agent and sends fraudulent wiring instructions. You wire the money — and it disappears overseas. This scam can also target your escrow agent. Always verify wiring instructions by phone before transferring any funds.
A corrupt realtor preys on a buyer's sudden hardship — illness, job loss, or accident — to coerce them into assigning the sale to the agent at a deeply discounted price. They use fear and misinformation about financing difficulties to pressure victims into the scheme.
Common in the fix-and-flip industry. Modern code requires costly arc fault breakers in electrical panels. Some flippers install them to pass inspection, then after the occupancy permit is issued, swap them back to cheaper traditional breakers. Inspect the electrical panel after closing if you suspect this.
A fraudulent buyer submits an above-market offer to lock in the seller under a purchase contract. They have no intention of buying at that price. During the due diligence and extensions period, they tie up the property for weeks or months — blocking the seller from accepting other offers — before renegotiating at a far lower price.
Fraudsters copy legitimate rental listings and repost them on Craigslist or other platforms at a lower price. Victims wire money to fake "landlords" and never receive access to the property. Red flag: the poster is not local and cannot show you the property in person before you pay anything.
A scammer impersonates one of the parties' attorneys and redirects closing proceeds to a fraudulent account. They may send a convincing email posing as the seller's lawyer requesting funds be sent to a "new" account. Always confirm any changes to wire instructions via a phone call to a number you independently verify — never one from an email.
Watch for these red flags in any rental or purchase: the transaction involves Western Union or MoneyGram; you're asked to wire money before seeing the property; or the price is suspiciously below market. Legitimate escrow companies are licensed and verifiable — always confirm you're working with a reputable, licensed firm.
An unlicensed "realtor" collects an escrow check from a buyer, then deposits the funds into their own account. Verify any agent or broker's license status with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation before committing to a transaction.
Scammers fabricate documents to pose as property owners, then take out a new mortgage on the property. They cash out the loan and disappear, leaving the real owner with mortgage payments they didn't authorize. Purchasing owner's title insurance is your strongest protection against this type of fraud.
A fake realtor arranges a viewing, then calls with a last-minute excuse and sends you to see the landlord directly. You arrive to find a crowd of other "interested" renters — creating artificial urgency to sign immediately without involving the agent who could catch the scam. Never sign a lease without verifying the listing and the landlord's identity independently.
Your Best Protection
Owner's title insurance protects you from losses caused by false impersonation, forged documents, undisclosed liens, and other fraud that may have occurred before your purchase — at no ongoing cost after your one-time premium at closing.
Our team is here to protect you. Contact TituLaw before wiring any money or signing any documents you're unsure about.