Land Scams: Fake Sellers, Wire Fraud and How to Protect Yourself

By LandyDandy

Vacant land is the most common target of seller impersonation fraud, according to a 2026 survey of title professionals. [S26] Nobody lives on it, and owners may not check on it for years. Here is how the common scams work and the steps that help you avoid them.

General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules differ by state and county and change over time. LandyDandy is a land marketplace, not a law firm, lender or title company. Each seller on LandyDandy sets their own terms. Before you sign or pay anything, check with the county and a licensed real estate attorney or title company in the state where the land is.

The short answer

• Criminals pretend to own vacant land and try to sell it. The FBI warned about this in June 2026. [S24]
• In a 2026 industry survey of 245 title professionals, 82% named vacant land as a frequent feature of these attempts. [S26]
• The top red flag is a seller who avoids meetings, phone calls or video calls. [S26]
• Check the owner in county records, and send a certified letter to the owner's address on the tax record. [S24]
• Never wire money based only on an email. Call a number you found yourself first. Wired money is like cash: usually gone once sent. [S27]

How big the problem is

The FBI's 2024 Internet Crime Report counted 9,359 real estate fraud complaints with $173,586,820 in reported losses that year. [S25] That category covers real estate investment, rental and timeshare fraud, not only land.

In a September 2026 study by the American Land Title Association (ALTA), 245 title professionals responded. 59% of firms had at least one seller impersonation attempt in 2025, up from 28% in ALTA's 2024 study. [S26]

Scam 1: the fake seller

This is called seller impersonation. The FBI describes how it works: [S24]

1. Criminals get a vacant parcel owner's details from public websites, data brokers or stolen data.
2. They make fake IDs, set up email accounts and internet phone numbers, and pose as the owner.
3. They contact real local realtors and title companies to market and sell the land, sometimes below market value to close fast.
4. They ask for the sale money to be sent to a partner attorney in another state.

The real owner may not know until the land has "sold." The buyer can lose the money and may end up with no valid ownership.

Scam 2: changed wiring instructions

Near closing, you may get an email that looks like it is from the title company, the attorney or the seller. It says the wiring instructions have changed. The new account belongs to a scammer.

Steps that help stop this:

• Before you wire, call the title company or attorney at a number you found yourself, not one in the email.
• Treat any change to payment instructions as a warning sign.
• Confirm by phone with the recipient after sending.

The FTC says wiring money is like sending cash. Once you send it, you usually cannot get it back. [S27]

Scam 3: fake listings and "holding deposits"

Some scams copy real listings, photos and all, and post them with a lower price or easy terms. The "seller" then asks for a deposit to "hold" the land before any contract or title check.

Be careful with:

• Pressure to pay today to "beat other buyers." The FTC says never to wire money to anyone who pressures you to pay right away. [S27]
• Deposits requested before you have a written contract.
• Payment by gift card, crypto or a payment app to a person you have never met.

Red flags

The FBI and the title industry list these warning signs: [S24][S26]

• The seller will not meet in person, talk on the phone or join a video call.
• The seller wants to rush the closing.
• The seller knows little about the property, or the details do not add up.
• The seller wants to sign by mail with their own notary.
• The deal is all cash, or the land has no mortgage on it.
• The price is below market value.
• The seller asks you to wire money to an account in a different name, or in a place unrelated to the land.
• Documents such as a deed were notarized in a foreign country.

One red flag is not proof. Several together should stop the deal until you verify.

How to verify a seller

These checks cost little and help catch fake sellers:

1. Check the owner of record. Look up the parcel on the county assessor or recorder website. The owner's name should match the seller, or the seller's company.
2. Write to the tax-record address. The FBI suggests buyers send a certified letter to the address of record on the land tax record to confirm the seller is real. [S24] The real owner gets that letter, not the scammer.
3. Talk live. Ask for a phone or video call. Ask questions the owner should be able to answer about the land.
4. Use a title company or attorney you choose. Let them verify identity and title. See our title and deeds guide.
5. Check the company. If the seller is a land company, you can look up its business registration with the state.

If you buy on owner financing, also know the contract risks. The CFPB warns that a seller under a contract for deed may not have clear title. [S1] Read our owner financing guide.

How to pay safely

• Pay closing funds to a title company or attorney you verified, not directly to a stranger.
• Use payment methods with a record, and keep receipts.
• For monthly payments on owner-financed land, keep every statement and confirm the seller is paying property taxes if they are responsible for them.
• Do not pay anything before you have a written contract you have read.

If you think you were scammed

Act fast:

1. If you wired through your bank, call it right away, report the fraud and ask it to reverse the transfer. [S27]
2. If you used a wire transfer company, contact it, report the fraud and ask for a reversal. [S27]
3. File a report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. [S24]
4. Contact local police and the county recorder.
5. Keep every email, text and document.

Frequently asked questions

What is seller impersonation fraud on vacant land?

Criminals pose as the owner of a vacant parcel, often using fake IDs and new email accounts. They try to sell the land through real realtors or title companies and take the money. The real owner never agreed to sell.

How can I tell if a land seller is real?

Check that the county records list the seller as owner. Send a certified letter to the owner's address on the tax record. Insist on a live phone or video call, and close through a title company or attorney you choose.

Is it safe to wire money for a land purchase?

Only after you confirm the instructions by calling a number you found yourself. Never trust wiring instructions that arrive or change by email. Wired money is very hard to get back.

What should I do if I sent money to a scammer?

Call your bank or wire company at once and ask for a reversal. Report the fraud at ic3.gov and to local police. Keep all records.

Does LandyDandy verify every seller?

No. LandyDandy checks only the seller's email address at signup. We recommend closing through a title company to stay protected. If a listing looks suspicious, report it to support@landydandy.com.

Next steps on LandyDandy

LandyDandy is a marketplace. Each seller sets their own terms. Message the seller through the listing, verify them with the steps above, and close through a title company or attorney you choose. If something about a listing seems wrong, report it to support@landydandy.com. Then browse owner-financed land or all land for sale.

Before you sign or pay anything, talk to a local real estate attorney or title company, and check the owner with the county.

Sources

1. [S1] CFPB — What is a contract for deed? — https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-contract-for-deed-en-2149/ — seller may not have clear title
2. [S24] FBI IC3 — PSA I-061626-PSA, Protect Your Property from Illegal Sales Through Parcel Owner Impersonation (June 16, 2026) — https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2026/PSA260616 — how the scheme works, warning signs, certified-letter tip, reporting at ic3.gov
3. [S25] FBI IC3 — 2024 Internet Crime Report — https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2024_IC3Report.pdf — Real Estate: 9,359 complaints, $173,586,820 losses (pp. 9–10, 18–19); category definition (p. 43)
4. [S26] ALTA — Seller Impersonation Fraud Expands in Scope and Sophistication, ALTA Finds (Sept 15, 2026) — https://www.alta.org/news-and-publications/news/20260915-Seller-Impersonation-Fraud-Expands-in-Scope-and-Sophistication-ALTA-Finds — 245 respondents; 82% vacant land; leading red flag; other warning signs; 59% vs 28%
5. [S27] FTC — What to know before you wire money — https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-you-wire-money — wiring is like sending cash; never wire under pressure; contact the wire company or your bank and ask for a reversal

Internal links to make (build note, not page copy)

• From this guide → "title and deeds guide" → /land-title-deeds-title-insurance (guide 11; ships with the set)
• From this guide → "owner financing guide" → /how-does-owner-financing-work-for-vacant-land (200)
• From this guide → /owner-financing-land, /united-states (200)
• To this guide ← /land-due-diligence-checklist ("verify the seller")
• To this guide ← /land-title-deeds-title-insurance
• To this guide ← listing page "Ask about this land" area or footer (a short "How to buy safely" link)