Arizona among States with Top Real Estate Fraud Losses across the U.S.

Alabama has the highest amount of money lost to real estate fraud. 

Alabama had 77 victims, totaling $5,346,973 lost. This is an average of $69,441.21 lost per victim in 2023.

North Dakota has the second–highest amount lost. Despite just six victims, a total of $402,505 was lost to real estate fraud. The average amount lost per victim was $67,084.17 in 2023.

South Carolina is third, with a total of $5,755,201 lost and 130 victims. The average amount lost per victim was $44,270.78 in 2023.

Oregon ranks fourth, with $42,095.38 lost per victim. Oregon had 135 victims, and a total of $5,682,876 was lost to these scams in 2023.

In fifth place is New Mexico, with an average $36,344.11 lost per victim. Among all 55 victims, a total of $1,998,926 was lost in 2023.

Ranking sixth through to tenth are Arizona, Washington, Oklahoma, New Jersey, and Georgia.

The report also reveals which states are most afraid of mortgage scams and correlates each state with the amount lost to real estate fraud.  

Using Google Keyword Planner, a seed list of search terms was established based on the most googled terms relating to real estate and mortgage fraud.  

Using 38 search combinations related to real estate fraud, the volume for each term was analyzed across each US state, and compared against its population, establishing the monthly average searches per 100,000 people.  

The top 10 states most afraid of mortgage scams

Vermont is the state most concerned about mortgage scams. The state averages 11.58 searches per 100,000 residents. Vermont ranks second to last for its losses to real estate fraud, losing $1,254.95 per victim.

Delaware is the second state expressing concern for mortgage scams, with a total average of 11.31 searches per 100,000 residents. Delaware ranks third from the bottom, at 48th place for losses, with an average loss of $1,621 per victim.

Alaska is the third state most worried about mortgage scams, generating an average of 10.79 per 100,000 residents. Alaska also has one of the lowest real estate fraud losses, placing at 39, with a loss of $5,391.08 per victim.

The top mortgage scam–related searches across the US

A spokesperson for Anidjar & Levine commented on the study’s findings,  “Mortgages are one of the largest financial commitments anyone can make. Falling victim to a real estate scam could result in personal information being stolen, financial losses and complicated future purchases.”