Real estate professionals are finding their transactions increasingly under attack, from AI-powered impersonation and deepfakes to wire fraud, seller impersonation and identity theft.
Now, agents have a resource to bookmark and return to when they need it. The National Association of REALTORS® has launched a new site, “Protecting Your Clients and Your Business From Fraud,” that brings fraud-prevention guidance together in one easy-to-scan place.
The site is organized around three steps: Prevent, detect and report—giving agents and brokers a framework for preparing for fraud before it happens, recognizing suspicious activity and responding quickly when something goes wrong.
"Real estate transactions are attractive targets for fraud because they involve large sums of money, tight deadlines, multiple parties, and extensive electronic communications,” says Austin Perez, a senior policy representative at NAR. “Most consumers only buy or sell a home a few times in their lives, while real estate professionals navigate transactions every day. That experience puts real estate professionals in a unique position to help clients recognize red flags, slow down, verify information and avoid common fraud schemes."
Your Clients Are Counting on You
Clients often turn to their real estate professionals when something doesn’t look right. That makes it important for you to understand the risks that can arise throughout a transaction and know what warning signs should prompt a closer look.
NAR’s site covers a wide range of fraud threats, including wire fraud, identity theft, anti-money laundering, mortgage fraud, title fraud, cryptocurrency fraud as well as rental and listing scams and AI-powered impersonation and deepfakes.
The stakes are significant. The latest FBI Internet Crime reportpdf shows victims lost more than $275 million to real estate-related fraud in 2025. Further, more than one in five consumers reported receiving suspicious communications during closing, according to CertifID’s “2026 State of Wire Fraud” report.
Prevent Fraud Before It Starts
Many scams rely on impersonation, urgency or pressure to get someone to act before they have time to verify what they’re being asked to do.
"The most important message is simple: Slow down and verify,” Perez says. “AI and impersonation scams are becoming more sophisticated, and a familiar email, phone number or voice is no longer proof of identity. When money or account information is involved, verify through a trusted contact method before acting. … A few minutes of education at the start of a transaction can help prevent a costly mistake at the end.”
NAR’s site also offers up basic cyber-hygiene practices to help better protect agents’ transactions, including multifactor authentication and password managers. For brokerages, it offers guidance on creating written, fraud-response procedures, training agents and staff, and educating clients about scams.
"I would encourage brokers to focus on having a fraud-response plan before they need one,” Perez says. “When fraud occurs, time matters. The brokers that respond most effectively are the ones that have already developed written procedures, trained their agents and rehearsed what to do before an incident occurs.”
Know the Red Flags
The NAR site’s “detect” section highlights common warning signs that fraud may be entering a transaction. For each red flag—like when documents don’t appear to match or wire transfer instructions suddenly change—the site offers potential fraud types that may be at play, immediate steps to take and who to contact if a scam is suspected.
The site details some of the following common red flags:
- A seller who refuses to verify their identity.
- Documents that don’t seem to match.
- Sudden changes to wire or money-transfer instructions.
- Suspicious emails or requests for information.
- Email domains that look slightly off or differ slightly from legitimate addresses.
A potential buyer or seller who refused to connect by phone, in person or via video conference and prefers a specific app or messaging platform only.
Report Fraud Quickly
The new NAR site also includes a “report” section, which focuses on what to do when fraud is suspected, with the steps to take immediately and who to contact. That can be especially important with wire fraud, when a buyer’s down payment could be at risk.
Nia Duggins, NAR’s senior policy representative of business issues, says NAR will continue to update the site with new content as the scams continue to evolve.
“This is a major issue and challenge within the real estate industry, and it is important that real estate agents and brokers understand how to protect themselves and their clients,” Duggins says. “NAR is working to ensure that members are educated, equipped and empowered as it relates to fraud scams, fraud prevention and mitigation.”
Bookmark this resource before you need it: Protecting Your Clients and Your Business From Fraud
