Property fraud is not always obvious. A listing may show a real house, a genuine-looking document and someone who appears authorised to sell. That does not necessarily mean the person has the right to receive your money.
The safest approach is to verify the property and the people involved independently, before making a significant payment.
Confirm who actually owns the property
Ask for the seller’s identity and the documents showing how they acquired the interest they propose to sell. If a representative is acting for an owner, request evidence of that authority. A company sale calls for appropriate corporate authorisation; an estate sale may require probate or letters of administration and other checks. Your lawyer should decide what evidence is sufficient.
Search the title, not just the paperwork
Documents can be altered or used to describe the wrong land. An independent lawyer should arrange relevant searches with the land registry and other authorities, check for mortgages or disputes, and confirm that the survey and physical site match the claimed property. Lagos State’s land portal offers property-search and land-record services.
Under Nigeria’s Land Use Act, certain transfers of statutory rights of occupancy require the Governor’s consent. The correct documentation and registration process should be confirmed for the specific transaction.
Check the agent and developer
Ask for the agent’s business details and independently verify professional credentials where applicable. Lagos State’s real estate regulator provides practitioner verification services. Registration is useful, but it does not replace checking the seller’s title or the agent’s authority to market that particular property.
Watch for payment pressure
Be wary of demands for immediate transfers to personal accounts, sudden changes in payment instructions, refusal to allow an independent inspection, or a price that seems inexplicably low. A legitimate transaction should allow time for due diligence and a clear written agreement.
Inspect the property yourself
Confirm the location, boundaries, occupancy and condition. For an unfinished development, ask about planning and building approvals, delivery milestones and what happens if construction is delayed. Consider engaging a qualified surveyor or building professional.
Pay through a documented process
Use a written contract reviewed by your lawyer, confirm the receiving account independently and retain receipts and correspondence. Avoid treating a payment receipt as proof of ownership. The transfer and registration steps still matter.
No checklist can remove every risk, but independent verification makes it much harder for a false claim to pass unnoticed. If a seller will not permit reasonable checks, walking away may be the best decision.