Fraudulent Sellers / Scammers

Bramlett Partners - Vacant Lot Listing & Verification Policy

Purpose

To protect sellers, buyers, and the brokerage from fraudulent vacant lot listings, a growing scam in which impersonators pose as the legitimate owner of a property (often vacant or unimproved land) to list and attempt to sell it without the true owner's knowledge.

Policy

Before accepting a vacant lot listing, agents must take reasonable steps to confirm the identity of the seller and their legal connection to the property. A listing may proceed without additional verification if the agent personally knows the seller, has met them in person, or was referred to them through a trusted, in-person connection.

Red Flags Requiring Verification

If any of the following apply to a vacant lot listing, the agent must contact the broker support directly before proceeding:

• The seller wants to list the property competitively priced or below comparable market data.
• The lead came from unsolicited outreach outside the agent's sphere of influence.
• The seller is reluctant to meet in person or speak by phone.
• The seller is located outside the city, state, or country where the property is located.
• The seller offers a detailed backstory involving medical emergencies, financial hardship, or hospitalization.
• The seller refuses or hesitates to provide government-issued identification.
• The seller's contact information does not match county or tax records.
• The seller hesitates or refuses to verify identity with the title company.
• The seller requests to switch title companies without a clear, legitimate reason.

Required Action

Agents who identify one or more of these red flags must pause the listing and contact broker support directly to review the details before moving forward.

No listing exhibiting these red flags should proceed to market without this review.