REsides Becomes the First MLS in the Nation to Offer Property Shield Ownership Verification

REsides, Inc., the independent, subscriber-centric multiple listing service serving the South Carolina Lowcountry and beyond, is now the first MLS in the nation to offer Property Shield Ownership Verification to its subscribers. The launch gives REsides agents and brokers the ability to confirm that a seller is the true owner of record before a property is ever listed, closing the gap where seller impersonation fraud does the most damage.

REsides Leads the Industry in Fraud Protection

The launch builds on the fraud detection protection REsides already provides to all subscribers through its partnership with Property Shield, which monitors listings for fraudulent activity, unauthorized use, and scams. Ownership Verification closes the loop at the very start of the transaction, stopping impersonators before they list.

"By becoming the first MLS in the country to offer Ownership Verification, we are giving our subscribers something no one else has: the confidence that the person on the other side of a listing agreement is the rightful owner of the property. Protecting our subscribers, their clients, and the integrity of our marketplace is at the heart of everything we do," said Colette Stevenson, CEO of REsides.

The Threat Is Getting Harder to Ignore

Seller impersonation fraud, also known as title fraud, occurs when a criminal assumes a property owner's identity to list and sell real estate without the owner's knowledge. Unlike listing fraud, which spreads across internet platforms, title fraud enters through one specific point: the agent or broker. And as AI makes deepfakes harder to detect, MLSs need new safeguards to protect both consumers and agents' reputations.

On June 16, 2026, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center issued a public service announcement warning that criminals are impersonating owners of vacant property parcels and attempting to sell those properties without the owners' knowledge or consent. Fraudsters use fake IDs, spoofed email addresses, and internet-generated phone numbers to deceive real estate agents and title companies.

Vacant land fraud has increased 500% over the last four years, according to FBI reporting, and real estate fraud caused an estimated $1.3 billion in losses between 2019 and 2023. A 2025 National Association of REALTORS® survey found that 62% of title fraud cases involve vacant land, with parcels owned by out-of-state investors or recently deceased individuals among the most frequent targets.

The remaining 38% of cases involve non-vacant properties. The threat extends across the entire real estate market, not just vacant parcels.

Property Shield Ownership Verification

Ownership Verification confirms both identity and ownership in minutes through a three-step process, available to agents and brokers at Property Shield's partnered MLSs, including REsides.

Biometric Scan

The prospective seller completes a live facial recognition and liveness detection scan, matched against a government-issued ID. AI analysis flags fake or stolen documents instantly.

Deed and Title Cross-Check

Property Shield queries official county tax records in real time and cross-references the verified identity against the registered owner of record, flagging any discrepancy immediately. The review also surfaces key property information, including liens and easements.

Verified Clearance

When identity and ownership match, a report is issued. A mismatch halts the process instantly, and the agent is notified right away, before any additional time, money, or effort goes into the listing.

"Every listing is a target, and not every seller is who they claim to be," said Alexander Fahsel, CEO of Property Shield. "REsides has consistently led the industry in protecting its subscribers, first with fraud detection and now as the first MLS in the nation to offer Ownership Verification. Together we are stopping impersonators before they list, so agents can focus on serving real clients with real properties."

Protect Your Time. Protect Your Reputation.

When a fraudulent listing enters the MLS, the consequences land directly on the agent. Time, money, and credibility are lost on a transaction that was never real to begin with. Ownership Verification gives agents and brokers a way to act with confidence before committing to a listing. The process runs in minutes and requires no change to existing workflow.

Ownership Verification is available to REsides subscribers starting today, and to agents and brokers at any Property Shield partnered MLS. Fraud stops at the only moment that matters: before it starts.