Foreign Seller Fraud is on the Rise — Here’s How We’re Catching It

This Seller’s ID looked off…reverse image search revealed the fraudster used a stock photo as the ID picture!

In recent weeks, our office has stopped multiple fraudulent attempts by individuals posing as foreign property owners trying to illegally sell real estate they don’t own. It’s a growing trend across Florida — especially in areas like Southwest Florida with high numbers of absentee and out-of-country owners.

These scams are getting more sophisticated, and they’re targeting vacant lots, unmortgaged homes, and properties owned by elderly or deceased individuals.

🚩 Red Flags We’re Watching Closely:

  • The seller claims to live abroad and refuses any in-person or video verification

    • They’ll say they don’t have a smartphone…and have no friends nor family to help!
  • They push for a quick cash closing, often with low communication

  • Documents and IDs look legitimate — until closer inspection

    • Looks for distorted areas, blurred backgrounds, fonts that look slightly different
  • The seller is unwilling to use a notary, or provides suspicious notarized documents

  • The seller contacts us directly rather than going through their listing agent

🔍 How We’re Stopping These Frauds:

At The Title Link, we use multiple layers of verification to ensure a seller is who they say they are. When a deal feels off, we dig deeper. We verify ownership history, cross-check global databases, and process the Seller through our identity verification tools:  Val-ID and Intellicheck.

💬 Real Case: We recently received a contract on a vacant lot where the “seller” insisted on using email only, provided an address that was different from the tax bill, and submitted foreign passport documents. We researched the proper ID format, reverse image searched the ID photo, and discovered the fraud!

👀 What Agents & Lenders Should Watch For:

  • A vacant land Seller reaches out to you out of nowhere
  • Sellers who suddenly want to switch title companies

  • A property listed that seems too aggressively priced

  • Refusal to meet or speak live

  • Unusual email domains or communications during off hours

🛡️ Partner With a Title Company That Protects You

When you work with us, you get more than just a smooth closing. You get fraud protection, due diligence, and a team that takes ownership of every detail. If a seller seems questionable — loop us in early. We’re here to safeguard your deals.

WIRE FRAUD is a whole ‘nother story…read the Blog and protect yourself and your clients!
Let’s connect! info@thetitlelink.com // 239-423-5465
HOME  //  Read More Blogs