Owner Impersonation Property Fraud Rises in the UK

A Freedom of Information request to HM Land Registry revealed 55 cases of owner‑impersonation fraud in England and Wales over the twelve‑month period from April 2025 to March 2026. Fraudsters posed as homeowners to sell properties they did not own, secure mortgages or transfer ownership using forged documents.

Consultancy Novus Strategy highlighted the role of AI‑generated documents, with AI Practice Partner Pete Gatenby warning, “Owner impersonation fraud may be rare but it’s a high‑impact crime” and noting that “AI can generate increasingly convincing fake documents, meaning they are less likely to be detected by verification processes designed for an earlier generation of fraud.”

The fragmented oversight landscape—HM Land Registry monitoring registration applications, Action Fraud tracking payment diversions, and no single body viewing the entire transaction chain—complicates detection. Mortgage‑free, rented or vacant properties are most vulnerable. While the 55 cases represent a small share of total transactions, the financial impact on victims can be substantial and the true incidence may be higher.