In 2025, scammers have listed or attempted to list vacant land across the state, in Cumberland, Middletown, North Smithfield, Westerly, and Little Compton, to name a few.   Some property owners have reported that multiple attempts have been made on the same property.

Failure to take basic steps to confirm a seller’s identity can result in losses of hundreds of thousands of dollars for buyers who close on these fraudulent listings;  a title nightmare for the true owners; and the risk of costly lawsuits and complaints filed against the listing brokers who listed these properties without the true owner’s consent.

RIAR, MLS, and NAR have published various tips about how to identify and avoid real estate scams.  The simplest one to follow is this:

• When a stranger asks you to list his/her property, meet him or her in person. If the person will not meet in person, insist on scheduling a video conference on a platform like Zoom, Facetime, etc. that allows you to see each other.

There is no substitute for meeting a potential client face-to-face.   .

If you suspect that a scam is taking place, contact State-Wide MLS to have your listing removed.  Also, it’s a good idea to report it to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center(IC3) | File a Complaint and the local police.

Trust your instincts.  If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  For more information, contact the RIAR Legal Department at 401-432-6945 or email [email protected].