The American Land Title Association (ALTA), the national trade association of the land title insurance industry, today released new researchshowing seller impersonation fraud has become more widespread and frequent, while criminals are broadening their targets and using increasingly sophisticated tactics to carry out these schemes.
ALTA’s 2026 Seller Impersonation Fraud study found that 59% of firms reported at least one seller impersonation fraud attempt in the prior calendar year, more than double the 28% reported in ALTA’s 2024 survey. The share reporting at least one attempt in the month prior to the survey also rose sharply, from 19% to 45%, while the share reporting three or more attempts increased from 4% to 23%.
Seller impersonation fraud occurs when a criminal impersonates a property owner to illegally sell commercial or residential property. The study surveyed 245 title insurance professionals across 40 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“The study highlights the critical role title professionals play in protecting property rights and preserving confidence in real estate transactions,” said ALTA Chief Strategy, Communications & Innovation Officer Elizabeth Blosser. “In an environment where criminals are becoming more sophisticated, vigilance, expertise and layered defenses remain among the industry's most effective tools. Every day, title companies combine technology, industry expertise and rigorous verification processes to identify suspicious activity and stop fraud before consumers are harmed.”
The findings confirm what title professionals have known for years: seller impersonation fraud is becoming more common, more sophisticated and more difficult to detect. “Criminals are investing time and resources to exploit weaknesses in real estate transactions, which means our industry must remain equally committed to strengthening safeguards that protect property owners and consumers,” said Blosser.
The research shows criminals are expanding both their targets and tactics. Vacant land remains the top target, but vacation homes, rental properties, agricultural land and primary residences all increased as targets compared with the 2024 survey.
Technology is also changing the fraud playbook. 87% of respondents rated spoofed contact information as at least somewhat common, while 58% said the same of deepfake image or voice technology.
When schemes succeed, the financial consequences can be substantial. One in four firms reporting an attempt also reported a paid claim related to seller impersonation fraud. Among firms reporting a claim and disclosing average costs, half reported costs above $100,000.
Title professionals also are strengthening their defenses. 94% of firms reported using multiple tools they consider helpful for detecting seller impersonation fraud, averaging 5.3 fraud-detection tools per firm. These include identity verification, direct seller contact, multifactor authentication and approved notaries.
The findings underscore the increasingly important role title professionals play as a frontline defense for consumers and property owners. As criminals adapt, title companies are layering identity verification, authentication and professional expertise to identify suspicious activity and stop fraudulent transactions before consumers are harmed.
The full ALTA Critical Issues Study: Seller Impersonation Fraud is available here.
About ALTA
The American Land Title Association, founded in 1907, represents an industry comprised of more than 17,000 title insurance companies operating across the nation, with over 90% being small businesses.