How to Protect Your Land From Scams: A Retired Law Enforcement Officer's Guide for Tennessee Landowners

Before I started buying land in Tennessee, I spent my career in law enforcement. Most scams I saw worked the same way: the scammer found someone busy, trusting, or far away, and moved fast before anyone noticed. Today, our team brings that same approach to helping landowners solve problems with their land.

Owning vacant land can put you in all three groups. Nobody lives on it, and you may live in another county or state. The good news is that most land scams are easy to stop once you know what they look like.

Scam #1: Someone Tries to Sell Your Land Without You

A scammer finds your land in public records, pretends to be you, and tries to sell it using a fake ID and a forged signature. Vacant land is a favorite target because no one is there to notice.

How to protect yourself:

• Sign up for your county’s free fraud alert. Many Tennessee counties, including Davidson, Knox, Hamilton, Shelby, Rutherford, Sevier, and Washington, will email you if a document is recorded under your name. If you don’t see one for your county, call the Register of Deeds and ask.
• Check your property in the county records once or twice a year, and keep your mailing address current.

Scam #2: Fake Emails and Calls at Closing

Right before closing, criminals send emails that look like they came from the title company, asking for your bank information or announcing a “change” in how you’ll be paid. Some even fake the title company’s phone number or use computer-made voices.

Never send bank information by email or text. Call the title company at a number you looked up yourself and confirm every detail by voice.

Scam #3: The Buyer Who Asks You for Money

Here’s the easiest rule in this article: a real buyer pays you. You should never pay a buyer to buy your land. Be careful with anyone who says they “have a buyer” but first needs a marketing, application, or processing fee. In an honest sale, all the money is handled at closing by a reputable title company.

Scam #4: Signing Something That Ties Up Your Land

Sometimes a “buyer” rushes you to sign a contract without explaining it, then quietly records it at the courthouse. That can lock up your land for months. Other times, a scammer slips in a quitclaim deed or power of attorney as “routine paperwork,” which can hand over your land.

How to protect yourself:

• Never sign anything you don’t fully understand. Ask for time to read it.
• Ask the buyer to explain the contract in plain English. An honest buyer will tell you up front if they might bring in another buyer, and how long closing should take and why.
• Never sign a deed or power of attorney outside a reputable title company or attorney’s office.

Three More Scams to Know About

• “Official” deed letters. A government-looking letter offers a copy of your deed for $80 or more. You can get one from the Register of Deeds for a few dollars.
• Back tax calls. Someone says you owe back taxes and must pay now. Don’t use their number. Call your County Trustee’s office directly.
• Fake listings using your property. Scammers copy photos of your land or home and post it “for sale” or “for rent” on Facebook Marketplace, then take deposits from people who don’t know better. It has happened recently in Knoxville, Seymour, and Blount County. Search your address online now and then, and report fake listings to Facebook and your sheriff’s office.

Buyers to Watch Out For

Some buyers aren’t breaking the law but can still cost you time and money. Watch for a buyer who:

• Cuts the price weeks later with no real reason, or can’t show you what changed.
• Won’t close at a reputable title company.
• Pushes you to sign today.
• Won’t give you a real name, phone number, or business address.

A fair note: sometimes a price does change for a good reason. A survey or soil test may turn up a problem nobody knew about, like wetlands or a failed perc test. An honest buyer will show you what they found and explain the new price. The decision is still yours.

Your Best Protection: A Reputable Title Company

If you remember one thing, make it this: insist on closing at a reputable title company. A title company is a neutral third party. They confirm the land is really yours to sell, check everyone’s ID, and hold the money until every paper is signed. That one step stops most scams before they start.

If something ever seems wrong, act fast. Call your county Register of Deeds, your local sheriff’s office, and a real estate attorney.

About Copco Properties

Copco Properties is owned and operated by a retired law enforcement officer and a military veteran. In law enforcement, when someone called with a problem, the job was to show up, listen, get the facts, and help solve it. We bring that same approach to land. Back taxes, inherited property, title problems, no road access: these are the situations we work through every day. Brent, our military veteran, served at Fort Campbell and brings the same commitment to doing the job right and seeing it through.

• We never ask you for money. No commissions and no hidden fees.
• Every sale closes at a reputable title company.
• We’re up front about everything. If your land isn’t a fit for us, we’ll tell you why, and with your OK we’ll work to find you another buyer. If closing will take longer because of surveys or soil testing, we’ll tell you before you sign.
• No pressure. Take all the time you need.

If you own land in Tennessee, call us at 615-610-3303 or fill out the short form on our website. Even if you’re not ready to sell, we’re happy to answer your questions.