Dear Real Estate Investor‘s Professionals & Property Owners,
We are expanding on an article we originally published in Summer 2025 in the East Lee County News because this issue continues to accelerate. Across Lee County and throughout Florida, fraudulent individuals are posing as property owners in attempts to steal land and homes. These scammers create fake email accounts, forge identification documents, and impersonate legitimate owners — and it is happening with alarming frequency.
Due to the high volume of real estate transactions, the high volume of unoccupied properties, and the state’s minimal recording requirements, Florida ranks as a hotspot for property theft.
Realestate professionals are often the first line of defense. By taking simple but critical precautions when responding to lead calls or email inquiries, we can help prevent fraudulent transactions before they gain momentum. Title companies also play an essential role and should require verified proof of identity before moving forward with escrow or closing preparations.
Simply looking up a recorded deed is not enough. A deed confirms who the owner of record should be — it does not verify that the person you are communicating with is actually that individual. By the time a fraudulent deed is recorded with the Clerk’s Office, significant damage may already have occurred. Prevention must happen earlier in the process.
recommendation: require visual identity verification from any individual seeking to list a property. This small but intentional step can significantly reduce risk.
Electronic listing agreements are particularly vulnerable to abuse. Extra caution and identity verification should always precede sending digital documents for signature.
A Recent Example
Last summer, we helped stop a fraudulent listing attempt. A FAKE client” contacted us requesting a property evaluation and listing services. The email address matched the name shown in county property records, and at first glance, everything appeared legitimate.
Our broker, Darius Cochran, evaluated the property and provided a proposed listing price. The FAKE “owner” quickly requested that we send an electronic listing agreement.
However, something felt suspicious. We conducted additional due diligence through independent research. Thankfully, we were able to contact the true property owner — a kind woman who was shocked to learn that someone was attempting to sell her property without her knowledge.
Unfortunately, this was not an isolated incident. This trend is increasing.
In fact, last year the former President of the Royal Palm Coast Realtor® Association, Karen Borelli, was herself targeted when an individual attempted to fraudulently sell her personal property. A title company contacted her after noticing irregularities, prompting an investigation that ultimately stopped the illegal attempt.
What Is Being Done
The Lee County Clerk’s Office has taken meaningful steps to address this growing problem. In 2023, the Florida Legislature created the Title Fraud Prevention Through Identity Verification Pilot Program in Lee County under Florida Statutes §28.2225.
Although Florida does not require in-person ID verification when filing a deed, under this program, individuals recording a deed or similar real property instrument in Lee County must present government-issued photo identification before the Clerk will process the recording. This requirement assists law enforcement in verifying identities and may deter fraudulent filings.
The program began July 1, 2023, as a two-year pilot to evaluate its effectiveness and determine whether it should be expanded statewide.
Free Property Fraud Alert Service
Separately, the Clerk’s Office offers a free Property Fraud Alert service. Property owners may register to receive email notifications when a deed, mortgage, or other recorded document containing their registered name or parcel ID is filed in the Official Records. Notifications are typically sent within 24–48 hours after recording.
While this service does not prevent fraud, it provides early notice so property owners can quickly investigate and involve law enforcement if necessary.
Together, the identity verification pilot program and the alert notification system aim to make fraudulent recordings more difficult and detection more immediate.
Areas for Improvement
However, even with these safeguards, alerts are triggered after a document has already been recorded. Property owners may still face legal expenses and time-consuming efforts to clear fraudulent filings.
Additionally, the Property Fraud Alert system does not currently verify that the individual registering for notifications is the actual property owner. A fraudulent actor could potentially register a property using their own email address.
One potential improvement would be to require identity verification — similar to the pilot recording program — for individuals registering properties within the alert system.
Moving Forward
We must work together to protect our clients, our businesses, and the integrity of property ownership in our community. Fraud of this nature damages trust and creates significant financial and emotional harm.
Let’s remain vigilant, communicate openly, and take proactive steps to stop these crimes before they reach the closing table.
Thank you for your continued commitment to protecting our industry.
Sincerely,
Amanda Cochran, SWFL Business Alliance
