The Vacant Land Listing Scam
A real estate scam I encountered recently
Real estate transactions rely heavily on trust. Buyers trust sellers, agents trust the people they represent, and attorneys trust the documentation in front of them. Unfortunately, scammers have learned how to exploit that trust.
Two weeks ago I received what seemed like a routine lead from Realtor.com asking about selling a vacant lot. I don’t actively subscribe to Realtor.com leads, but the contact included a phone number and basic information about the property, so I called to gather details and start preparing a pricing analysis.
A few days later I shared my thoughts about the property value and the contact told me to move forward with the listing.
That’s when things started to feel off.
As part of my standard process—especially when a property is owned by a trust—I asked for documentation. I requested a copy of the trust certificate, identification for the trustees, and some basic background questions about when and why the property had been purchased. Instead of answering, the contact abruptly hung up.
Several red flags had already caught my attention:
I don’t have an active Realtor.com lead account.
The phone number turned out to be a virtual number.
The caller was reluctant to share basic ownership details.
The story about the property didn’t line up with public records.
Trusting my instincts, I wrote a letter to the owner listed in the county tax records to make sure they were aware someone might be trying to sell their property.
A few days later, the real owner replied—and confirmed my suspicion.
He told me several other agents had received the same solicitation, and one had even gotten far enough into the process to install a “For Sale” sign on the property. He had already reported the incident to the FBI, and I forwarded the related emails to help with the investigation.
It was a good reminder of something I had just learned in my annual continuing education class: vacant land listing scams are increasing across the country.
This particular scheme is surprisingly simple. Scammers search public property records looking for vacant land—especially parcels owned by people who live out of town. Then they impersonate the owner and contact real estate agents asking them to list the property for sale.
Because the land is vacant, it’s harder for anyone involved in the transaction to verify the identity of the seller. The fraudsters often push for a quick, all-cash sale and remote closing, hoping the transaction will complete before anyone realizes the seller isn’t legitimate.
In some cases, the real owner doesn’t discover the fraud until they see a sign on their property—or even construction equipment arriving on land that was supposedly sold.
☞ A Simple Step for Vacant Property Owners
If you own vacant land or property that you don’t visit regularly, it may be worth taking a few extra precautions.
One simple idea is placing a small notice sign on the property stating that the land is not for sale and providing a contact phone number for the owner. It won’t stop every attempt, but it may alert neighbors, contractors, or agents who happen to see a suspicious listing.
Other Real Estate Scams to Watch For
While vacant land impersonation is currently one of the fastest-growing schemes, it’s not the only one.
Title or Deed Fraud
Sometimes called “title piracy,” this scam involves forging documents—often quitclaim deeds—to transfer ownership of a property without the real owner’s knowledge. Once the fraudster appears to own the property, they can attempt to sell it, mortgage it, or rent it out.
Wire Transfer Fraud
Although not related to my recent experience, this remains one of the most common real estate scams. Criminals intercept email communications and send fake wiring instructions shortly before closing, redirecting large sums of money to fraudulent accounts.
