4 Common Commercial Title Scams To Watch For

06/03/2026 10:30 AM Mark Goodman

It seems like scammers and scam prevention is getting better by the day, so while you’ll have some safeguards in place if you’re buying or selling commercial property, it’s wise to know about some of the more common scamming techniques that are out there. We’ll do everything we can to ensure your purchase or sale goes off without a hitch, but we want our clients to be informed of some of the ways the transaction could go sideways if they aren’t alert. In today’s blog, we spotlight some of the more common title scams to watch for during your commercial property transaction.

Fake Listings - The internet and digital documentation has made it much harder for scammers to physically steal key documents needed to facilitate a sale, but it also makes it much easier for them to steal pictures and pose as a seller. They may steal listing photos and try to act as the owner or a seller’s agent and try to get a down payment or escrow funds early in a transaction before ghosting the unsuspecting target. Make sure you verify who you are working with and don’t send money to someone you’ve never met.
Phishing Scams - If a scammer gets word that a property is in the process of being sold or that an individual is in the process of a purchase, and they can find their information on the web, they may try to send a phishing email posing as a legitimate agent to intercept a wire fraud or get someone to unknowingly provide them with key bank account numbers. We always ensure our clients know when to expect emails, who to expect them from, and we’re more than happy to confirm the legitimacy of any forms of communication.
Forgeries - Although a lot of documentation is kept online, there will still be official hard copy records and forms that need to be signed. A scammer might try to pass off documentation as legitimate as a way of acting as a property owner or to try to nullify a previous sale. We’ll review any and all documents related to a property to ensure all documents are legitimate and there are no clouds on a property’s title.
Quit Claim Deed Fraud - With a quit claim deed fraud attempt, the scammer uses fake identification and forged documents to record an illegitimate transfer of property or ownership. If this slips by an unsuspecting individual at the county registrar’s office, the scammer may then attempt to sell the property or take out a mortgage on the land, forcing the actual owner to scramble to prove they still legitimately own the property.

As we noted above, the easiest way to protect yourself against a potential title scam is to work with a trusted title company like Commercial Partners. We’ll thoroughly vet the title and all involved parties and ensure you know what to expect throughout the process. If you have any questions about the legitimacy of any document or communication throughout the transaction, give us a call and we’ll sort it all out.

For more information about ensuring your commercial transaction runs smoothly, pick up the phone and call the team at Commercial Partners today at (612) 337-2470.