You open the mailbox and there’s a postcard about your house. Maybe it says a buyer is interested. Maybe it says your home “may be listed for sale” or asks you to “confirm your sale.” If you haven’t listed your home, that’s an unsettling thing to read. Most of these postcards are aggressive marketing. A few are part of a real scam. Here’s how to tell the difference, and how to make sure nobody is selling your property without you.
Why you got the postcard
Your name, address, purchase date and often your mortgage details are public record at the county Register of Deeds. Investors, wholesalers and some agents buy mailing lists built from those records and send postcards to thousands of homeowners at a time. The wording is written to get a call back: “We have a buyer for your home,” “Your property may qualify for a cash offer,” or “Is your house for sale?”
In most cases, nobody is selling your house. Someone wants to buy it cheaply, or wants your listing. It’s annoying, but it isn’t fraud. We break down how those offers work in why “we buy houses” signs may not be what they seem.
When it could be something worse
There is a real scam that postcards and mail can tip you off to. In seller impersonation fraud, a criminal pretends to be the owner of a property, usually vacant land or a home the owner doesn’t live in, and tries to sell it to an unsuspecting buyer. The scammer uses fake IDs and a remote notary, collects the money at closing, and disappears. The real owner often finds out when a neighbor mentions the “for sale” sign, or when mail about a sale shows up.
Be more concerned if:
- The property is vacant land, a rental, or a second home you don’t visit often.
- The home is paid off, since there’s no lender watching the title.
- The mail references a specific sale, closing date, or buyer name, not a generic offer.
- You find your property listed online on Zillow, Facebook Marketplace, or an agent’s site, and you didn’t list it.
Read more in our guides to the seller impersonation scam and vacant property scams.
What to do if you got one of these postcards
- Don’t call the number on the card to “confirm” anything. If it’s a scam, you’d be handing over information. If it’s marketing, you’d be starting a sales pitch.
- Search your own address online. Check the big listing sites and Facebook Marketplace. If your home shows up for sale and you didn’t list it, act right away. The steps are below.
- Check your county’s records. Your county Register of Deeds lets you search recorded documents by owner name. Look for any deed or deed of trust you didn’t sign. Our guide on how to verify property ownership walks through it.
- Sign up for a free property fraud alert. Many North Carolina Register of Deeds offices, including several in the Triad, offer free alerts that email you when a document is recorded under your name. Check your county’s Register of Deeds website to see if yours does.
If someone is trying to sell your property
- Contact the listing agent or brokerage right away. Tell them you are the owner and did not list the property. Legitimate agents take this seriously.
- Call the Register of Deeds for your county and ask whether anything has been recorded. If a fraudulent deed has already been recorded, you’ll need a real estate attorney.
- Report it to your local police department and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
- Talk to a real estate attorney about clearing your title if anything was recorded. Our deed scam guide explains how these fake transfers happen.
How to lower your risk going forward
- Keep your mailing address current with the county tax office, especially for land or rentals.
- Visit vacant property regularly, or have a neighbor you trust keep an eye on it.
- Check the records under your name once or twice a year, even if you’ve signed up for alerts.
- Be skeptical of any mail, text or call that creates urgency about your property.
Frequently asked questions
Can someone sell my house without me knowing?
They can try. Title searches, closing attorneys and ID checks catch most attempts, but fraud involving vacant land and paid-off properties does happen. Fraud alerts and regular record checks are the best early warning.
Is it illegal to send “we have a buyer” postcards?
Marketing mail isn’t illegal by itself, even when it’s misleading. It becomes a problem when someone lies to get your personal information or pretends to have authority over your property. If a postcard feels deceptive, you can report it to the FTC.
Should I ignore these postcards?
You can safely ignore generic offers. Just don’t ignore the warning signs above: a listing you didn’t create, recorded documents you didn’t sign, or mail about a specific sale.
Worried something isn’t right with your property? Talk to a Mantle Realty agent. We can help you check what’s listed and point you to the right next step.
