VERMONT – A recent report compiling national data about the growing national epidemic of real estate fraud ranks Vermont 51st out of the 50 states and District of Columbia, with a falling rate of scams involving real estate.
Data from highlandcabinetry.com shows Vermont with just 17 reports of real estate fraud amounting to a total of $870,350. That’s fallen from a high of 44 in 2020.
While Vermont’s fraud rate averaged from 2020 to 2024 is just under -19%, Rhode Island’s rate has grown by over 18%.
New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts rank in the top 10, with year over year growth rates near or over 10%
The Office of the Vermont Attorney’s list of scams and warnings about them doesn’t even mention real estate scams, about which the Vermont Association of Realtors (VAR) issued a Scam Alert.
A note with the VAR Scam Alert at vermontrealtors.com/new-scam-targets-land/ says, “ Recently, VAR has had conversations with the Attorney General’s Office regarding these type of scams. There are many out there, and the AG’s office does investigate them.”
In warning member realtors to be aware of these scams when accepting listings, VAR said, “The listed properties are by fraudulent sellers who try to sell properties that they do not own. These listings have typically been land listings with non-local owners. Please be thoughtful and use caution when signing a listing with an out-of-state seller.”
Paul Fixx is editor of The Hardwick Gazette and lives in Hardwick.
