We first published this article two years ago and again last year, but we just heard that yet another property scam occurred in Las Sendas.
We have updated this article and are republishing to try and generate more awareness of deed fraud. We strongly encourage you to share this information with friends and neighbors – especially those living out of state who may not even be aware of the severity of this issue. According to an article published in the Phoenix Business Journal in December 2025, over $50 million in land scams occurred in Arizona in 2024. Over the past few years, property fraud has increased dramatically both nationally and right here in our community and it is only becoming more prevalent.
WHAT IS DEED FRAUD?
The most common property fraud is called deed theft. How does it work? Scammers impersonate the legal owner of the property, list the property, sell the property, and pocket the proceeds – all without the true owner’s knowledge. The title is then legally transferred to the buyer, and the rightful owner of the property loses their property without any knowledge of what has occurred. The loss of the asset can be financially devastating and trying to regain ownership is a long and challenging legal process.
Some scammers will fraudulently list a property with a real estate agent (tricking them into believing they are the rightful owners) while others just list the property “by owner” on a national website. They typically list the property below market value to encourage a quick sale. The fraudulent sellers typically present themselves as out-ofstate owners and usually only communicate via What’s App, email, or text. They use fake emails and signature blocks to perpetuate their scams and often use an out-of-state power of attorney to forge identity documents and deeds. They so effectively impersonate the rightful owners that they are able to scam buyers, agents, and title companies.
Scammers predominantly target vacant land, vacant properties, properties owned in LLCs, out-of-state homeowners, homes with recently deceased owners, investment properties, and homes that are owned free and clear. They like to prey on properties that have absentee owners so their schemes can go undetected.
PROTECTING YOUR PROPERTY
If you own property here or out of state, be vigilant! The first and easiest thing to do is to set a Google Alert for your property address and the name of the property owner. Additionally, regularly Google search your address, search your property address on Zillow (and look at the history to see if it has been listed), and scan other thirdparty sites to see if it is listed for sale. Visit your property or ask your neighbors to watch for any unusual activity on the property – and make sure they have your contact info.
We also recommend that you check the county assessor’s site at mcassessor.maricopa.gov and the county treasurer’s site at treasurer.maricopa.gov to confirm you are still the owner on record and your mailing address is correct. You can also set up a title alert to be notified when a document is recorded associated with your name at recorder.maricopa.gov/recording/title-alert.html.
However, just signing up for this alert is not enough because you will only be notified after something has been recorded and it does not prevent recordation.
SUGGESTIONS FOR BUYERS
If you are a buyer who is interested in purchasing property here or elsewhere, be aware of these red flags: the “seller” won’t provide detailed property information, the price is too good to be true, or the seller is in a hurry to close. Never wire funds directly to a seller and be sure to have your own professional real estate representation.
Just because a property is “for sale by owner” does not mean you can’t have a Realtor representing you. Let your Realtor speak with the seller (experienced agents have spidey senses!), hire a reputable title company, choose a very experienced title agent, and finally, buy title insurance. One of the title companies we work with has told us they have stopped several fraudulent sales in the past few months by just being aware and noticing that something felt “off ” with the documentation, so be sure to have people you trust on your team!
Again, please share this information with your friends and neighbors so we can all stay aware and protect our community. We have personally seen Las Sendas properties fraudulently listed on national sites (just found one last week) and we have received many calls from scammers over the past few years asking us to list properties that don’t belong to them. We always do what we can to alert the actual owner of a property – but if the information in the tax record is not correct, it is not always possible. If you have any questions or notice something suspicious, please don’t hesitate to give us a call!
Whether you are buying or selling, the key is to be prepared, educated, and ready for the opportunities that are coming your way. We would love to help you build a strategy for success, so call us today for your complimentary consultation at (602) 615-0843. We have decades of experience, community knowledge, and the insight to answer all your real estate questions!
John Karadsheh is the Designated Broker and Owner of KOR Properties and has been a Multi-Million Dollar producing agent for over 23 years. He is an Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR) and Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), and serves on the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) Rules & Policies Committee, ARMLS Appeals Committee, and the West and Southeast Realtors of the Valley Professional Standards Committee.
Natascha Ovando-Karadsheh is an Associate Broker, Co-Owner of KOR Properties, a Multi-Million Dollar Producer for over a decade, Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR) and Certified Real Estate Negotiation Expert (RENE). She a Member and Past-Chair of the City of Mesa Economic Development Advisory Board, member of the Board of Directors of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, and serves on the Salt River Project Customer Utility Panel.