Texas Real Estate: High Value, High Target
Texas buyers and owners should investigate unexplained record changes, verify the authority of sellers and representatives, and independently confirm payment instructions.
📊 Texas Fraud Snapshot
This guide does not assign Texas a fraud ranking or a per-victim loss estimate. Report categories are not interchangeable, and statewide totals do not establish an individual property's risk.
The Most Common Texas Real Estate Fraud Schemes
Deed Fraud in Texas's Fast-Moving Markets
Search the county clerk's official records for unfamiliar documents and ask about available recording alerts. An accepted recording is not proof that a signature is genuine or that the person offering to sell has authority.
Wire Fraud at Closing
A fraudster may impersonate a title company, attorney, or agent. Verify instructions in person or through a trusted, independently obtained phone number regardless of the transaction amount.
Investor and "Wholesaler" Fraud
Distinguish ownership of a property from an option or assignable contract interest. Ask for the underlying agreement and independent legal review. Texas Property Code § 5.0205 requires specified written disclosures before selling an option or assigning a purchase-contract interest.
Search your Texas property's fraud history
Available public-record snapshot and self-check guidance; not a complete title history or fraud clearance.
Search Texas property freeTexas Laws and Fraud Protections
Texas Penal Code — Document Fraud
§ 32.46 is titled Fraudulent Securing of Document Execution, not a general fraudulent-lien statute. Forgery is addressed separately in § 32.21. The applicable charge and penalty depend on the conduct, statutory elements, and enhancements; seek legal advice rather than applying a single dollar threshold to every filing.
Texas Department of Insurance — Title Insurance
TDI's title insurance FAQ explains that Texas regulates policy premiums. Escrow and other closing fees can differ. Texas does not require an owner's policy by law; a lender may require a loan policy protecting its own interest.
Texas AG Consumer Protection Division
Use Texas Attorney General Consumer Protection for the current complaint process. Also contact local law enforcement and a private attorney when title or funds are at risk.
Texas-Specific Protections Every Owner Should Use
- County clerk deed alerts — Many Texas counties offer property alert registration. Harris County Clerk, Dallas County Clerk, and Bexar County Clerk all have free programs. Check your specific county clerk's website.
- Home Equity Line awareness — Texas has some of the strongest homestead protections in the nation, but fraudsters target Texas homestead equity specifically because of the state's high home values. Monitor for unauthorized HELOC or second mortgage filings.
- Verify equitable-interest disclosures — Review the written disclosures required by Property Code § 5.0205 and have counsel examine the underlying contract and authority to assign it.
🏠 Texas Investor Alert
If you own investment or rental property in Texas, your non-primary-residence status makes you a higher-value target. Absentee investors in Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio should enroll every parcel in their county recorder's free document-alert program — especially for properties with significant equity and no mortgage.
How to Report Real Estate Fraud in Texas
- Texas AG Consumer Protection — texasattorneygeneral.gov · 1-800-252-8011
- FBI Houston, Dallas, or San Antonio Field Offices — ic3.gov for online reports
- Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) — trec.texas.gov — for complaints against licensed agents or brokers
- Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending — for mortgage-related fraud
- Local district attorney's office — Many Texas counties have white-collar crime units