Protect yourself from real estate deepfakes

March 27, 2026 - 04:17

A new consumer alert is highlighting a disturbing trend in property fraud: the use of artificial intelligence to create convincing deepfake videos and audio. These sophisticated scams are targeting buyers, sellers, and renters by manipulating digital content to appear authentic.

The technology enables criminals to fabricate videos of property agents or homeowners endorsing fraudulent deals, or to generate fake virtual tours of non-existent properties. Similarly, AI-cloned voices can be used in phone calls or video conferences to impersonate real estate professionals, instructing victims to wire funds or share sensitive personal information.

Experts warn that these deepfakes are becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from reality. The scams often prey on the urgency and high emotions involved in real estate transactions. Consumers are urged to adopt a policy of heightened verification. This includes independently confirming contact details through official websites, using secure payment methods, and being deeply skeptical of any request for immediate financial action, even if it appears to come from a known contact.

Always conduct in-person or live video verifications of properties and representatives when possible. In an era where seeing and hearing is no longer believing, proactive caution is the best defense against these technologically advanced schemes.