4 Red Flags Of Commercial Seller Impersonation Fraud 

06/15/2026 02:33 PM       Mark Goodman

Fraudsters are always looking for new ways to scam people out of their hard earned money. Knowing the signs of seller impersonation fraud is imperative if you’re considering purchasing commercial property in this day and age. We touch on four red flags to watch for in today’s blog. 

In the world of commercial real estate, you may be dealing with vacant commercial lots, foreclosed properties or large developers who may not have a physical office in your area. When this happens, it can be challenging to know who you need to connect with in order to move forward with an offer and potential deal. Fraudsters prey on this vulnerability in hopes that they can make off with your money before you or the actual seller catches wind of the scam.

To protect yourself from falling victim to seller impersonation fraud, watch for these red flags during the course of your commercial purchase: 

1. Can’t Meet Or Talk In Person - Most fraudsters prefer to work from the shadows so that it’s harder to be apprehended in the event that someone becomes aware of the scam. We’re not saying that an aversion to meeting in person is always a sign of a scam, but if the person keeps giving excuses as to why they can’t meet or even discuss critical matters on the phone, it could mean they are a scammer. Most scammers prefer to only communicate through e-mail and text messages.

2. They Want To Move Things Along Fast - Again, wanting a quick closing isn’t necessarily a sign that you’re working with a scammer. Many commercial property owners would like to sell the property sooner rather than having a deal drag out for months, but at the same time these legitimate sellers aren’t typically pushy about closing or getting earnest money or deposits down as quickly as possible. Scammers want to get in and out before anyone knows something is amiss, so they’ll try to rush the process along. We understand you’re eager to purchase the property, but don’t let this eagerness play into their hand.

3. Payment Process Is Unusual - Wise commercial investors connect with a title services team like Commercial Partners to handle payments and act as a neutral third party throughout the sale. We’ll handle money and deposits and verify that payments are safely transferred when the other side has held up their side of the deal. Scammers will likely try to bypass these safeguards and may even ask for odd forms of payments, like texted wire transfer details, gift card purchases or cash app payments to specific accounts. Never send money without verifying with your team that it all looks legitimate, and if a seller is trying to collect money under the table, do yourself a favor and break off talks. 

4. Paperwork And Identification Issues - Finally, if you’re struggling to identify who actually owns the property, or the names and information on contracts are inconsistent, take a step back and review everything. If what you’re seeing doesn’t match public records or you can’t get someone to confirm their identity during the purchase process, there’s a possibility you’re working with a scammer. Review all documents and contracts and compare them with public records and the names you expect to be dealing with. 

The single easiest way to avoid being scammed during the commercial purchase process is by connecting with a Title Services team like Commercial Partners. Our goal is to protect your best interests, and keeping you from getting scammed is at the heart of our mission. To learn more about how we can help with all aspects of the commercial purchasing process, connect with the team at Commercial Partners today at (612) 337-2470.