Real Estate & Property Scams

Scams that target buyers, sellers, renters, and property owners in real estate transactions.

Buying, selling, renting, or owning property involves large sums of money and important legal documents. That makes real estate transactions a target for scammers. Fraudsters may pose as agents, title companies, landlords, or even property owners to steal funds or take ownership of property.

Learn how the most common schemes work, what warning signs to look for, and what to do if something doesn’t feel right.

• Scammers break into or impersonate the email accounts of brokers, title companies, or attorneys. Just before closing, they send fake wiring instructions that redirect your closing funds to their own accounts.

• Some wholesale real estate deals are used to mislead buyers or sellers. Learn how these schemes operate and how to protect yourself.

• Fake listings, “phantom” rentals, and demands for upfront fees can cost renters money for a home that isn’t available or doesn’t exist.

• These arrangements can offer a path to ownership, but they can also carry serious risks for consumers. Know the warning signs before you sign.

• Fraudsters pose as the owners of vacant or unoccupied land and try to sell property they don’t own.

• Criminals can fraudulently transfer ownership of a property out of the rightful owner’s name. Find out how it happens and how to protect your property.

• Verify before you send money. 
  • Confirm any payment or wiring instructions by phone, using a number you already know is legitimate.
• Slow down. 
  • Scammers create urgency. Pressure to act immediately is a red flag.
• Be wary of last-minute changes. 
  • Treat sudden changes to payment details, account information, or contacts with suspicion.
• Don’t rely on email alone. 
  • Avoid links and attachments in unexpected messages.

Stop the transaction. Then contact your bank, local law enforcement, and the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit. Each scam page above includes specific steps.