Seller-impersonation fraud — often targeting vacant lots, rural parcels, or property owned by someone who lives elsewhere — happens when a scammer impersonates the legal owner and tries to sell or borrow against land they don’t own, usually pushing for a fast, remote, cash deal. Title companies are a key line of defense: we verify the seller’s identity through independent checks, confirm details against the owner of record in public records, watch for red flags like mismatched contact information or unusual urgency, and reach out to the genuine owner when something doesn’t add up. Vacant and absentee-owned land deserves extra scrutiny, and we apply it.