An investigation from the FBI’s Boston office revealed a troubling uptick in scams where “title pirates” impersonate landowners to covertly sell their property. Between 2019 and 2023, Massachusetts landowners lost a combined total of over $46 million to real estate crime, according to the agency.

Now, the FBI is encouraging landowners and real estate agents to protect themselves by knowing the signs of fraud and proceeding with caution.

The scam happens in several ways.

Sometimes, fraudsters use public records to identify vacant properties without a mortgage, then impersonate landowners and enlist the help of a real estate professional to sell the land.

In other cases, scammers forge documents that make it appear as though the rightful landowner has transferred ownership to them. They then sell the land, rent out the property or take out a mortgage.

Scammers often target the elderly.

“Our elderly population because they are more likely to own vacant pieces of land that they have had for quite some time, and they are also more likely to own homes without any mortgages on them,” FBI Special Agent Vivian Barrios told CBS. “Because those have the biggest benefit to the criminal actor.”

Often, property owners don’t realize what’s happened until the scammer receives payment and the sale has been recorded.

The FBI’s message

The FBI urged victims to report fraud as soon as they notice something has gone awry.

“We find that within a 24-hour window we can sometimes get to the money before it’s left the account and the banks together with us can sometimes get the money back to the victims,” FBI Special Agent Vivian Barrios said.

To protect themselves, landowners can sign up for alerts that notify them about any document recorded on their property. Victims can also report fraud directly to the FBI using the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

The FBI urged real estate agents to avoid remote closings when possible and require verification via in-person identity checks and documents that only the rightful property owner would have.

For homeowners, the FBI suggested setting up a system of periodical check-ins on vacant properties and asking neighbors to call if they notice anything unusual. Homeowners should also look out for any sudden increase or termination of property tax bills or utility bills for vacant properties.