Seller Impersonation Fraud

Seller impersonation fraud, a scam where a fraudster uses publicly available records to impersonate the owner of a vacant or unoccupied property to benefit from the sale, is on the rise across our nation. Buyers, sellers, real estate agents, and closers must be aware of its telltale signs.

TLTA’s Seller Impersonation Fraud Task Force led by Chair David Tandy began in 2023 in response to this growing threat and remain vigilant to this industry threat. In 2023, they successfully organized three educational programs, collaborated with the Texas Real Estate Commission to publish a bulletin, partnered with Texas Realtors to distribute a red flags and best practices flyer to be shared with their members, and created a comprehensive flyer to equip title agents with the knowledge and tools necessary to identify and address fraudulent activities.

Contact TLTA for more information

For additional insights into potential red flags or to access the comprehensive best practice resources developed by our Task Force, contact your TLTA team at [email protected]. We're here to assist you with any inquiries you may have.

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Resources

Additional information and resources about this issue, including rules, forms, websites or other documents.

• ALTA Fraud in Real Estate Brochure
• Seller Impersonation Fraud: Red Flags & Best Practices for REALTORS®
• Seller Impersonation Fraud: Title Industry Red Flags & Best Practices
• Seller Impersonation Fraud Guidance
  
• Real Estate Fraud Exposed: Safeguarding Your Transactions
• Ongoing Fraud: There's Another Scheme License Holders Should be Aware Of
• "Seller" Title Fraud; Options to Detect and Prevent

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News

TLTA coverage and more information about this issue.

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Reporting Fraud

Fraud can be reported online to the Federal Trade Commission. This type of crime is also being tracked by the United States Secret Service.