Property Owner Verification: What to Check Before You List or Buy    

Someone contacts you about selling a property. The name matches the owner. They know the address, property details, and asking price. They may even send identification that looks legitimate.

That does not always mean you are talking to the real owner.

The FBI warned in June 2026 about criminals impersonating owners of vacant property. According to the FBI’s parcel owner impersonation warning, criminals can obtain owner information from public records, create fake identification and contact details, then approach real estate agents and title companies as if they own the property. In one reported case, a fake deed was also used to make the sale appear legitimate.

For agents, investors, landlords, and wholesalers, property owner verification should happen before a listing is accepted, an offer moves forward, or money is committed to a deal.

TL;DR 

• In June 2026, the FBI warned about criminals using fake IDs and contact details to impersonate owners of vacant property.
• A matching name and address are not enough. Seller information should be compared with independent records.
• The FBI’s IC3 recorded 12,368 real estate fraud complaints and $275.1 million in reported losses in 2025.
• People age 60 and older accounted for about 20% of complaints but 45% of reported real estate fraud losses.
• Searchbug’s Property Records API and People Search API can provide additional data for comparing property and seller information before a transaction moves forward.

Why Property Owner Verification Should Happen Early    

Seller impersonation can start long before closing.

An earlier FBI warning about quit claim deed fraud described scammers searching public records for vacant parcels and properties without a mortgage or other lien. The scammers then impersonated the landowner and asked real estate agents to list the property. Some actual owners did not learn what had happened until their property had already been listed or sold.

The FBI’s June 2026 warning describes a similar scheme involving vacant property. Criminals can create fake driver’s licenses or passports, email addresses, and internet-based phone numbers using information tied to the real owner. They then contact real estate professionals and try to sell the property without the owner’s knowledge or consent.

Early verification can help catch problems before an agent accepts the listing or a buyer spends more time and money on the transaction.

Warning Signs That Deserve a Closer Look    

The FBI lists several signs that may appear in property owner impersonation schemes:

• The seller communicates only through email, text, or internet-based phone calls.
• The seller refuses to meet in person.
• The seller pressures everyone to close quickly.
• The property is offered below market value to speed up the sale.
• The seller gives inconsistent property information or cannot provide expected documents.
• Payment instructions do not match the seller or have no clear connection to the property.

None of these signs proves fraud. A real owner may live out of state, prefer remote communication, or want a quick sale.

They are reasons to check the owner’s information through sources that did not come only from the seller.

What the FBI Data Says About Real Estate Fraud    

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center recorded 12,368 complaints in its Real Estate crime category in 2025, with $275,110,419 in reported losses, according to the 2025 IC3 Annual Report.

These are broader real estate fraud figures, not deed-theft totals.

The FBI’s Real Estate category covers more than deed or title theft. FBI Boston has also stated that IC3 does not keep separate national statistics solely for quit claim deed fraud. Deed fraud reports may instead be counted within the broader Real Estate category.

Older Complainants Reported a Large Share of Real Estate Fraud Losses    

The same 2025 IC3 report shows 2,473 Real Estate complaints from people age 60 and older, with $123,671,936 in reported losses for that age group.

Compared with the overall Real Estate figures, people age 60+ accounted for about 20% of complaints and about 45% of reported losses.

The age data shows how much people 60 and older reported losing. The separate FBI warning explains which properties scammers may look for.

State Deed Fraud Protections Still Vary    

State laws on deed theft continue to change.

According to EquityProtect’s Q2 2026 Property Protection Scorecard, Virginia, California, and Alabama enacted new deed-theft laws during the second quarter of 2026. That brought the number of states with dedicated statutes to 10.

The scorecard also reported that 29 states still lacked a deed-theft-specific law. That does not mean those states have no laws that may apply. Property owners may still have legal options under existing fraud, forgery, identity theft, or other laws.

Legal action usually comes after suspected fraud has happened. Real estate professionals have a chance to check the owner earlier, before the transaction moves forward.

What to Check Before You List or Buy a Property    

Property owner verification should not depend on one record or one piece of identification. Comparing separate sources can help you check whether the seller’s information matches.

Check the Property Record    

Start with the property.

Compare the information provided by the seller with an independent property record. Useful details can include:

• Owner name
• Owner mailing address
• Property address
• Parcel number
• Property details

A different owner name, mailing address, or property detail is a reason to check further.

A mismatch does not automatically mean fraud. Ownership may have changed, the property may be held by a trust or business, or the record may need further review.

Check the Person Behind the Ownership Record    

Next, check whether the person communicating with you matches the person connected to the property record.

Independent identity and contact information can help you compare details such as:

• Full name and other known names
• Current and previous addresses
• Phone numbers
• Email addresses

For example, a property record may identify Jane Smith as the owner and show a mailing address in Arizona. Someone using that name contacts you but provides a different address and contact information that does not appear connected to the owner you found.

That does not prove impersonation. It does mean another verification step may be needed before the transaction continues.

Contact the Owner Through an Independent Channel    

Do not rely only on the phone number or email address provided by the person claiming to be the owner.

In its guidance on parcel owner impersonation, the FBI recommends that property purchasers send a certified letter to the address of record on the land tax record to help verify the seller’s legitimacy.

An independently found phone number or mailing address can also give you another way to compare the seller’s information with records connected to the owner.

Investigate Mismatches Before Moving Forward    

When important details do not match, verify them before treating the information as confirmed.

Depending on the transaction, that may include:

• Requesting additional identification or documents
• Conducting an in-person or video identity check
• Contacting the owner through independently sourced information
• Checking property and tax records again
• Asking the title company, attorney, or settlement professional to review the difference

One conflicting detail is a reason for further review. It is not proof that fraud has occurred.

How Searchbug Can Support Property Owner Verification    

Searchbug provides data tools that can help real estate professionals compare property and owner information before moving forward with a transaction.

The tools provide additional records for review. They do not make a final decision about legal ownership.

Property Records API    

Searchbug’s Property Records API can help you check information associated with a property and its owner.

Results can include owner and mailing information, property characteristics, parcel details, and other property data.

An agent, investor, landlord, or wholesaler can use that information to compare what a supposed seller provides with an independent property record.

People Search API    

Searchbug’s People Search API can provide identity and contact information associated with a person.

Results may include names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and other available information that can help you compare the person contacting you with the owner information found in property records.

For property owner verification, the goal is to check whether information from separate sources points to the same person.

Neither Searchbug tool certifies legal ownership or confirms that a person has the legal right to sell a property. They also do not replace a title search, identity check, attorney, title company, or other steps required for the transaction.

They can help identify information that matches, conflicts, or needs another check.

Conclusion  

A person who knows the property address and owner’s name is not automatically the owner. Public property information can also give an impersonator enough details to make an initial approach appear legitimate.

The FBI’s warnings show why agents, investors, landlords, and wholesalers should check the person behind a property before accepting a listing, making an offer, or committing funds.

Start with the property record. Compare the owner’s identity and contact information through independent sources. Contact the owner through information you found separately when the situation calls for it.

Property owner verification cannot guarantee that a transaction is legitimate, but it can help identify inconsistencies while there is still time to investigate them.

Create a free Searchbug API Test Account and get $10 in credits to test identity and contact data searches within your verification workflow. Teams working with larger datasets can also use Searchbug Bulk Processing for high-volume verification and data enrichment. 

Editorial note: This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. FBI data and state law information cited here reflect publicly available sources at the time of writing. Real estate professionals should consult qualified legal counsel about their specific verification and compliance obligations.