NAR Launches New Online Resource to Help REALTORS® Prevent, Detect, and Report Real Estate Fraud

WASHINGTON (October 1, 2026) - The National Association of REALTORS® launched "Protecting Your Clients and Your Business From Fraud," a new online resource that provides information that helps members prevent, detect, and report potential real estate fraud of all kinds. The resource is designed to help members get to their next transaction with more confidence. Real estate fraud is increasing, and AI makes voice cloning and impersonations more convincing. According to the FBI, individuals lost $275 million to real estate fraud in 2025.

Fraud can happen at any stage of a real estate transaction. That's why the resource is designed for busy agents and brokers to use throughout a real estate transaction. The first section focuses on prevention, recognizing that the most effective way to combat fraud is to stop it before it occurs. The section on detecting fraud identifies red flags that members should be alert to throughout the lifecycle of a transaction, including before a listing, during a transaction, when closing, and after closing. The report section features the steps members should take once they have identified fraud.

"Fraud is a major issue and challenge within the real estate industry. It is important that real estate agents and brokers understand how to protect themselves and their clients," said Nia Duggins, NAR's senior policy representative of business issues. "This new resource is just the latest example of NAR working to ensure that members are educated, equipped and empowered to avoid, prevent, and mitigate real estate fraud."

The resource covers a wide range of fraud threats and includes basic cyber-hygiene practices to help better protect agents' transactions, including multifactor authentication and password managers. For brokerages, it offers guidance on creating written fraud-response procedures, training agents and staff, and educating clients about scams.

"Real estate transactions are attractive targets for fraud because they involve large sums of money, tight deadlines, multiple parties, and extensive electronic communications," said Austin Perez, NAR's senior policy representative. "Most consumers only buy or sell a home a few times in their lives, while real estate professionals navigate transactions every day. That experience puts real estate professionals in a unique position to help clients recognize red flags, slow down, verify information, and avoid common fraud schemes."

NAR will continue to update the resource to cover the latest types of fraud. The resource is available at nar.realtor/fraud.

About the National Association of REALTORS®

The National Association of REALTORS® is involved in all aspects of residential and commercial real estate. The term REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. For free consumer guides about navigating the homebuying and selling transaction processes-from written buyer agreements to negotiating compensation-visit facts.realtor.

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Information about NAR is available at nar.realtor. This and other news releases are posted in the newsroom at nar.realtor/newsroom.