## Real-estate fraud in California **Real-estate fraud** covers many types of intentional misrepresentation + concealment in property transactions. California buyers, sellers, + others have multiple legal remedies — though specific procedures + statutes apply. ## Common types of real-estate fraud **Seller fraud:** **Failure to disclose defects:** - Foundation problems - Water damage - Mold - Roof issues - Specific to property - Mandatory disclosure issues **Concealment:** - Hiding known defects - Specific to circumstances - Strong evidence - Specific procedures **Misrepresentation:** - False statements about property - Specific to representations - Specific to circumstances - Specific evidence **Boundary misrepresentation:** - Wrong property lines - Specific to circumstances - Specific procedures - Specific evidence **Square footage misrepresentation:** - Inflated measurements - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific evidence **Title fraud:** **Forged deeds:** - Stolen identity - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Increasing problem **False conveyances:** - Without owner's knowledge - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Title insurance issues **Quitclaim fraud:** - Forged signatures - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific evidence **Mortgage fraud:** **Loan applications:** - Income misrepresentation - Specific to circumstances - Specific procedures - Federal + state crimes **Property valuation:** - Inflated appraisals - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific evidence **Straw buyer:** - Real buyer hidden - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to crime **Equity skimming:** - Stealing equity - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to victims **Investment fraud:** **Real estate investment scams:** - False returns - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to investors **Ponzi schemes:** - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to victims - Federal crimes **Foreclosure fraud:** **Foreclosure rescue scams:** - Targeting distressed homeowners - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to victims **Equity stripping:** - Taking equity from desperate sellers - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to victims **Mortgage modification scams:** - False promises - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to victims **Rental fraud:** **Phantom rentals:** - Renting non-existent properties - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to victims **Identity theft:** - Renting in others' names - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to victims **Specific scams:** - Wire fraud (closing wire) - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to victims ## Disclosure laws **${s.name}-specific:** **Mandatory disclosure:** - ${s.name} disclosure requirements - Specific procedures - Specific to property - Specific to circumstances **Federal disclosures:** - Lead-based paint (federal) - Specific to property - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances **Common disclosure forms:** - Property condition - Specific procedures - Specific to ${s.name} - Specific to disclosures **Failure to disclose consequences:** - Civil liability - Specific procedures - Specific to ${s.name} - Sometimes criminal ## Legal remedies **For buyers:** **Rescission:** - Cancel transaction - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Restore parties **Damages:** - Diminution in value - Specific to circumstances - Cost of repairs - Specific procedures **Specific performance:** - Force completion - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Limited **Punitive damages:** - Egregious cases - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to ${s.name} **Treble damages (state UDAP):** - Some states allow - Specific to ${s.name} - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances **Attorney's fees:** - Specific to ${s.name} - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to claims **For sellers:** - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to ${s.name} - Limited typically ## Causes of action **Common claims:** **1. Common-law fraud:** - False statement - Knowledge of falsity (or reckless) - Intent to induce reliance - Justifiable reliance - Damages **2. Negligent misrepresentation:** - Lower standard than fraud - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific evidence **3. Breach of contract:** - Specific provisions breached - Specific procedures - Specific damages - Specific to circumstances **4. ${s.name} consumer protection:** - ${s.name} UDAP statute - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Often treble damages **5. Civil RICO:** - Pattern of fraud - Federal statute - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Treble damages **6. Specific industry claims:** - Specific to ${s.name} - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific statutes ## Statute of limitations **${s.name}-specific:** **Fraud claims:** - Generally 3-6 years - Discovery rule applies - Specific to ${s.name} - Specific procedures **Specific causes:** - Different deadlines - Specific to ${s.name} - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances ## "As is" clauses **Sellers' attempted protection:** **Generally enforceable:** - Standard real estate - Specific procedures - Specific to ${s.name} - Specific to circumstances **Limitations:** **Active concealment:** - Cannot waive fraud - Specific to circumstances - Specific procedures - Specific evidence **Mandatory disclosures:** - ${s.name} disclosure laws still apply - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to ${s.name} **Material defects known:** - Cannot conceal - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to ${s.name} ## Title insurance **Important protection:** **Coverage:** - Title defects - Specific to circumstances - Specific procedures - Specific to ${s.name} **Owner's vs lender's:** - Different coverage - Specific procedures - Specific to ${s.name} - Specific to circumstances **Specific endorsements:** - Specific to needs - Specific procedures - Specific to ${s.name} - Specific protection **Specific exclusions:** - Survey-related - Specific to circumstances - Specific procedures - Specific to policy **Limitations:** - See title insurance guide - Specific procedures - Specific to ${s.name} - Specific to coverage ## Wire fraud — recent epidemic **Closing wire fraud:** **Pattern:** - Hackers compromise email - Send wire instructions to buyer - Buyer wires to wrong account - Funds disappear **Prevention:** - Verify by phone - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to title company **Recovery:** - Difficult often - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific timing **Liability disputes:** - Title company - Real estate agent - Specific to circumstances - Specific procedures ## Identity / deed theft **Increasing problem:** **Pattern:** - Forged deed transfers property - Owner often unaware - Specific procedures - Specific evidence **Prevention:** - Property monitoring services - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to ${s.name} **Remedies:** - Quiet title action - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to ${s.name} ## Strategic considerations **For victims:** **Document everything:** - Communications - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific evidence **Title insurance claims:** - File promptly - Specific procedures - Specific to coverage - Specific to circumstances **Civil litigation:** - Multiple defendants often - Specific to circumstances - Specific procedures - Specific damages **Criminal complaint:** - Local police - FBI for federal crimes - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances **State AG:** - Specific to ${s.name} - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to fraud **Specific industry regulators:** - Specific to circumstances - Specific procedures - Specific to ${s.name} - Specific to industry ## Common defenses **For accused parties:** **Disclosure:** - Information actually disclosed - Specific evidence - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances **No knowledge:** - Didn't know of defect - Specific evidence - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances **No intent:** - No fraudulent intent - Specific evidence - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances **Statute of limitations:** - Specific to ${s.name} - Specific procedures - Specific to claims - Specific to circumstances **"As is" clause:** - Limited protection - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific to ${s.name} **No reliance:** - Buyer didn't rely on representation - Specific procedures - Specific to circumstances - Specific evidence ## What you should do If you've been victim of real-estate fraud in California: act quickly — preserve evidence, file title insurance claim if applicable, consult real-estate litigation attorney + criminal authorities. Most California real-estate attorneys handle fraud matters. Treble damages + attorney fees often available under consumer protection statutes. Specific to circumstances. --- *This guide is general information about California law as of mid-2026 and is not legal advice. Real-estate fraud is technical + serious. Talk to a licensed California real-estate attorney about your specific situation.*