Short answer: Most property frauds follow a few patterns: a fake or partial owner, a project selling without RERA registration, the same flat sold twice, forged khata or approvals, and online token scams. The defence is the same each time. Verify the owner, the record and the registration on official portals before any money moves, and pay only by traceable bank transfer.
- Scams rely on speed. "Pay today" pressure is the first warning sign.
- Official portals answer most questions: RERA, Kaveri, e-Aasthi and eCourts.
- Never pay cash or into a personal account for a project booking.
- Report online fraud quickly on the national cybercrime portal or helpline 1930.
- Scam 1: The seller is not the owner, or not the only owner
- Scam 2: A project selling without RERA registration
- Scam 3: The same flat sold to two buyers
- Scam 4: Forged khata, approvals or conversion orders
- Scam 5: Online token and rental advance fraud
- Scam 6: Loans or mortgages hidden on the property
- Scam 7: Disputed land
- What pressure tactics should make you pause?
- What should you do if you think you've been cheated?
- How do you protect yourself from fake calls and messages?
- Why does slowing down work?
- Buyer checklist: fraud screening
- Related reading
- Frequently asked questions
- Talk it through with acre&key
- Sources
Bengaluru's property market is large and fast, and that attracts fraud. Most victims are not careless. They are rushed, or they trusted a document that looked official. This guide lists the patterns we see discussed most often and the check that catches each one. It is general information, not legal advice.
Scam 1: The seller is not the owner, or not the only owner
How it works: Someone poses as the owner, or one heir sells a property that belongs to several. Fake ID cards and forged deeds are used.
How to catch it: - Match the seller's ID with the name on the sale deed, khata and RTC. - Pull an encumbrance certificate on the Kaveri portal. Our Kaveri EC steps walk through it. - For inherited property, ask for the legal heir certificate or a family tree, and get every heir to sign. See documents for selling an inherited flat. - Meet the seller at the property and at their home address.
Scam 2: A project selling without RERA registration
How it works: A "pre-launch" or "soft launch" takes bookings before the project is registered. If approvals never come, money is stuck.
What the law says: Under section 3 of the RERA Act, a promoter shall not advertise, market, book, sell or offer for sale any plot or apartment in a project that needs registration, without registering it first. Projects above 500 sq m of land or more than eight units, including phases, need registration.
How to catch it: - Search the project on the Karnataka RERA portal. - Check that the RERA number on ads matches the project. See checking a RERA number on an ad. - Read our note on pre-launch project risk.
Scam 3: The same flat sold to two buyers
How it works: A seller takes advances from more than one buyer, or registers the sale with one and keeps another on an agreement.
How to catch it: - Pull a fresh EC just before registration. - For new projects, check the RERA quarterly update for unit status. - Insist on a registered agreement for sale. The RERA Act caps the advance at 10% before a registered agreement.
Scam 4: Forged khata, approvals or conversion orders
How it works: A plot is sold with a fake A-khata, a forged conversion order or a layout approval that doesn't exist.
How to catch it: - Search the property on e-Aasthi with the property ID. See e-Aasthi property search. - Ask the issuing office to confirm any conversion order or layout approval. - Read our explainer on A-khata, B-khata and e-Khata.
Scam 5: Online token and rental advance fraud
How it works: A listing with photos and a low price. The "owner" is abroad or busy, asks for a token by UPI to "hold" the flat, then disappears. Variants use fake bank pages or QR codes.
How to catch it: - Never pay before seeing the property and the owner in person. - Check the phone number on the government's Sanchar Saathi portal if you suspect misuse. - Don't scan QR codes to "receive" money. Receiving never needs a PIN.
Where to report: the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, cybercrime.gov.in, or the helpline 1930. Report fast, because banks can sometimes freeze funds in time.
Scam 6: Loans or mortgages hidden on the property
How it works: The seller has a loan on the property and sells without closing it, or uses forged NOCs.
How to catch it: - Read the EC for mortgages. - Ask the seller's bank for the outstanding letter, and pay the bank directly at registration. - Collect original documents and the bank's release letter.
Scam 7: Disputed land
How it works: The land is in litigation, under acquisition or in a lake buffer.
How to catch it: - Search eCourts by owner names and survey numbers. - Check lake buffer and drain maps. See lake buffer and rajakaluve checks. - Ask a lawyer for a title search across at least 30 years, a common practice.
What pressure tactics should make you pause?
- "Only today" prices
- Requests for cash, or payment to a personal account for a project
- Refusal to share documents before a token
- A broker who won't let you meet the owner
- A RERA number that doesn't match the project name
Pause is the right response to all of them. A real deal survives a week of checks.
What should you do if you think you've been cheated?
Act quickly. Speed helps, especially with money transfers.
- For online fraud, report on the national cybercrime portal or call the cybercrime helpline 1930. The sooner you report, the better the chance of freezing the money.
- Tell your bank right away and ask them to block or trace the transfer.
- File a police complaint at your local station with all documents, messages and payment proofs.
- For a registered project, you can also file a complaint with Karnataka RERA.
- Talk to a lawyer about civil remedies, such as a suit to recover money or cancel a fraudulent deed.
Keep every message, call record and receipt. Don't delete chats, even angry ones.
How do you protect yourself from fake calls and messages?
Many scams start with a call or a WhatsApp message offering a deal. A few habits help:
- Never pay a token to a personal account. Pay only to the developer's or seller's account named in a written agreement.
- Check that the phone number belongs to the company by calling its listed office number.
- Report suspicious numbers on the Sanchar Saathi portal, which the Department of Telecommunications runs.
- Don't share OTPs, even if the caller says it's for site booking.
Why does slowing down work?
Almost every property scam relies on urgency: a price that ends today, a flat someone else is about to book, a token needed in the next hour. Slowing down breaks that pressure. Take a day, check the RERA page, ask a lawyer, and visit the site. A real deal will still be there tomorrow. If the seller won't wait a day, that tells you something.
Buyer checklist: fraud screening
- [ ] Seller ID matches deed, khata and RTC
- [ ] All co-owners and heirs will sign
- [ ] Fresh EC pulled from Kaveri
- [ ] Project found on the RERA portal with a matching number
- [ ] Khata verified on e-Aasthi
- [ ] Conversion or layout approval confirmed with the issuing office
- [ ] eCourts searched by owner and survey number
- [ ] Loan status and bank release confirmed
- [ ] All payments by bank transfer to the named account
- [ ] Lawyer's title report in hand before the token
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
Match their ID with the name on the sale deed, khata and RTC. Pull an encumbrance certificate on Kaveri to see the ownership trail. Meet them at the property, and have a lawyer run a title search.
The RERA Act bars a promoter from advertising, booking or selling units in a project that needs registration until it is registered. Buyers who pay early carry the risk if approvals never come.
Use the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930. Report as soon as possible. You can also file a police complaint at the local station.
That depends on what you signed. Many token receipts carry forfeiture terms. Read them before paying, and keep the token small until the checks are done.
For a project booking, a registered agreement for sale gives you stronger protection, and RERA limits the advance before one to 10%. Ask a lawyer what your paper is worth.
Lawyer note: Fraud, title and remedies on this page are general information, not legal advice. Speak to a property lawyer before you pay, and to the police or cybercrime cell if you think you've been defrauded.
Sources
Checked 29 Oct 2026.
- Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, sections 3 and 13: https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/resources/staticpage/Real_Estate_Act.pdf
- Karnataka RERA, project search: https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/viewAllProjects?language=en
- Kaveri online services, Department of Stamps and Registration: https://kaveri.karnataka.gov.in/
- GBA e-Aasthi property records: https://eaasthi.karnataka.gov.in/
- eCourts services: https://ecourts.gov.in/ecourts_home/
- National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal: https://cybercrime.gov.in/
- Sanchar Saathi, Department of Telecommunications: https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/
