How Maryland Land Sellers Can Avoid Vacant-Lot Identity and Deed Fraud

By Dawn Riley, Associate Broker, Realtor and Master Certified Negotiator | Published July 27, 2026

Vacant land can look simple to sell, but its lack of occupants and improvements can make it an attractive target for seller impersonation. The safest transaction starts by proving who owns the property before marketing begins.

I take extra steps when a person contacts me about selling vacant land, especially when the owner lives out of state, wants a fast cash closing or communicates only by email. Those facts may be completely legitimate, but they also match patterns law enforcement has warned real estate professionals about.

The goal is not to make an honest seller feel accused. It is to create a consistent verification process that protects the true owner, the buyer, the brokerage and the title company.

Why vacant lots attract impersonation scams

A vacant parcel may have no resident to notice a sign, a lockbox or unusual activity. Public records also make it easy to find an owner name, mailing address, tax account and legal description. A criminal can use that information to pose as the owner and push for a quick sale.

Verify identity before preparing the listing

Ask for a government-issued photo ID and compare the name with the deed and tax record. Then independently locate a reliable phone number or mailing address instead of relying only on the contact information supplied in the first email. For business, estate or trust ownership, verify who actually has authority to sign.

Use documents a fraudster may not expect

I may ask a land seller for the most recent property tax bill, prior settlement documents, a copy of the deed, estate or trust papers, and information that is not obvious from a public search. One document alone is not proof. The value comes from comparing the complete record for consistency.

Treat urgency and unusual instructions as warning signs

An all-cash offer and fast settlement are not inherently suspicious. But pressure to skip normal steps, avoid video contact, use a remote notary selected by the seller, send proceeds to a different name or change wiring instructions at the last minute should stop the transaction until every detail is independently confirmed.

Bring the title company into the process early

The title company can review vesting, open estates, entity authority, liens, judgments and the chain of title. Early review gives the professionals time to resolve questions before a buyer spends money on studies, surveys or engineering.

Give the real owner more than one way to catch a problem

Mailing a notice to the tax-record address, confirming by video, checking identification again at signing and verifying the proceeds account can create separate layers of protection. No single step is perfect. Multiple independent checks make impersonation much harder.

The Bottom Line

Vacant land can look simple to sell, but its lack of occupants and improvements can make it an attractive target for seller impersonation. The safest transaction starts by proving who owns the property before marketing begins.

The right answer depends on the property, the records, the current rules and the client’s goals. A strong strategy should make the risk visible before it becomes an emergency.