Home Seller Impersonation Fraud Case Stamped Out In Nevada

EquityProtect said it recently identified and helped stop a case of seller impersonation involving a vacant property in northern Nevada.

The incident occurred earlier this month in Washoe County, where a vacant parcel owned by Paul Clauson was fraudulently listed for sale online without his knowledge.

Clauson had already enrolled in EquityProtect’s monitoring service, which alerted the company to the suspicious activity.

After identifying the listing, EquityProtect contacted the online platform hosting the advertisement and requested its removal.

Company President Jim Adams also reached out directly to the individual believed to be responsible for the fraudulent posting — as well as local real estate brokerages, title companies and escrow firms to warn them of the impersonation attempt.

Adams additionally notified the Washoe County Recorder’s Office, according to the company.

“Seeing your property listed for sale online without your knowledge is a tremendous violation and a blatant attempt at theft,” Adams said. “Thankfully, this property owner had already engaged with EquityProtect and had protections in place that would have stopped any transfer of the land’s title without the rightful owner’s consent.

“Another individual who had not taken such precautions would not have been so lucky. Situations like these can end up costing property owners thousands of dollars and months of legal turmoil to undo.”

Clauson said he became aware of the fraudulent listing but felt reassured that safeguards were already in place.

“I was stunned to see my property listed for sale — but I also knew my title was secure because of my EquityProtect subscription,” he said. “What truly stood out was how quickly EquityProtect intervened to shut down the fraudulent listing, proactively contacting multiple parties to stop the scam in its tracks.

“That level of commitment says everything about who they are as a company — they genuinely care about protecting homeowners and making a real difference.”

Seller impersonation fraud has been increasing nationally, particularly in cases involving vacant land, according to industry data cited by the company.

A recent survey by CertifID found that more than half of real estate professionals reported experiencing at least one seller impersonation attempt within the previous six months.

A recent report from the National Association of Realtors said that 62% of title fraud cases reported in the past year involved vacant land — noting that such properties are often less closely monitored and may be owned by individuals living out of state.

“As deed theft continues to rise, property owners are recognizing the urgent need for proactive protection,” said Jon Dovidio, vice president of business development at EquityProtect. “Our patented monitoring system is designed to stop this type of financial crime before it happens, helping EquityProtect serve as a critical safeguard for homeowners’ most valuable assets.”