Scams & Fraud

1. Get a money plan early. Ask your agent or closing attorney to walk you through every payment — due diligence fee, earnest money and closing funds — and how each will be requested.
2. Verify by phone, every time. Before you wire, call the closing attorney or title company at a number you already know or looked up yourself — never one from the email or text.
3. Treat changes as a red flag. Legitimate firms rarely change wiring instructions. A last-minute change sent by email is the #1 warning sign.
4. Call again after you send. Confirm the money arrived. The sooner a problem is found, the better the chance of recovery.
5. Never send account numbers or your SSN by email or text.

• Sign up for free property alerts. Buncombe County owners can enroll in Property Check through the Register of Deeds to be notified when a document is recorded under their name. Owners in other counties should ask their Register of Deeds whether a similar service is offered.
• Keep an eye on vacant land and second homes, especially if you live out of the area.
• Search your name and property online periodically for unexpected listings, and check county records for filings you don’t recognize.
• Keep your mailing address current with the county tax office so notices reach you.
• Read NAR’s consumer guide: Understanding & Protecting Yourself from Title Fraud.

• The landlord can’t meet you or show the inside of the home.
• They ask for a deposit or first month’s rent before you sign a lease — especially by wire, gift card, crypto or payment app.
• The rent is far below similar homes nearby.
• Search the address and photos online. If the same home appears for sale or under a different name, walk away.

Learn more from the FTC: Rental Listing Scams.

• Verify your agent is licensed using the NC Real Estate Commission license lookup.
• Use strong, unique passwords and turn on multifactor authentication for email and banking.
• Be wary of urgency, secrecy or pressure — scammers rely on all three.
• If a voice, video or message seems off, hang up and call back at a known number.

• The “owner” is traveling or overseas, can’t meet in person and wants to handle everything by email or text.
• A quick sale below market value, often vacant land or a property with no mortgage.
• Preference for a cash buyer and a remote closing with a notary the seller chooses.
• Phone numbers or emails that don’t match public records, or blurry/unreadable ID.
• Little or no due diligence fee or earnest money paired with a rushed closing.
• Pressure, anger or offered “bonuses” when you ask questions or try to verify identity.

• Compare the seller to the owner of record in county tax and Register of Deeds records.
• Meet in person or by live video, and keep a copy of government-issued photo ID in your file.
• Check listing history for recent withdrawals and contact the prior listing agent if something seems off.
• Mail a letter to the owner’s address of record — the real owner may respond.
• Look for obituaries, talk with neighbors and do a quick online search when details don’t add up.

• Tell every client, in writing and early, that you will never send or change wiring instructions — and to call the closing attorney at a verified number before wiring.
• Add a wire fraud warning to your email signature and transaction documents.
• Use multifactor authentication, a password manager and secure, encrypted portals — never plain email — for sensitive documents.
• Collect only the personal information you need and store or dispose of it securely.
• Brokers: create a written fraud-response plan and train agents and staff on it.

• Stop and do not proceed with the transaction until identity and funds are verified.
• Notify your broker-in-charge and the closing attorney immediately.
• If money was sent, have the sender call their bank right away and file at IC3.gov.
• Report suspected fake sellers or listings to local law enforcement and document every step you took.
• Review the NC Real Estate Commission’s guidance: Fake Seller / Fake Buyer Scam Alerts and When Hackers Strike.