TerraFunded publishes free guide to spot vacant land fraud

A Dallas land company is offering buyers a free seven-step way to verify Texas land sellers as vacant land fraud rises nationwide. TerraFunded says the guide is meant to help buyers catch impersonation scams fast — even when the seller is TerraFunded itself.

Why it matters: - Vacant land is now the main target of U.S. title fraud, creating a bigger risk for rural buyers than for owners of occupied homes. - The fraud problem can hit first-time buyers, self-employed buyers and immigrant families who are already more exposed to rushed or confusing land deals. - TerraFunded is trying to turn buyer skepticism into a fraud check, which may raise the bar for direct-to-consumer land sales.

What happened: - TerraFunded, a Dallas-based land company, published a free guide that walks buyers through seven checks to verify any Texas land seller before sending money. - The company says the checks can expose seller impersonation fraud in under an hour using only free public records. - TerraFunded says buyers should run the same checks on TerraFunded itself. - The company has sold more than $15 million of owner-financed Texas land to more than 350 families since 2021.

The details: - The guide’s seven checks include confirming the owner of record at the county appraisal district. - The guide also tells buyers to pull deed history at the county clerk. - Buyers are instructed to verify the seller’s business entity through the Texas Comptroller. - The guide requires closing at a licensed title company. - Buyers are told to confirm the title company’s license with the Texas Department of Insurance. - The guide advises verifying the seller is a real person through a video call or an in-person property visit. - Buyers should independently confirm wire instructions by phone before sending money. - TerraFunded says the most efficient filter is asking which title company will handle the closing. - Blanco said a seller who wants to skip the title company to save fees is removing the main safeguard against impersonation fraud. - TerraFunded says its legal entity is Longhorn Money Services, LLC, and it publishes its Dallas address and closing process. - The company also offers a free 27-point checklist for buying rural Texas land that covers water, septic, legal access, mineral rights and flood zones. - TerraFunded sells 10-acre tracts in rural North Texas counties through owner financing. - The financing structure typically includes 5 percent down over a 10-year term. - Buyers receive a recorded Warranty Deed at a title company closing on day one. - TerraFunded says the model is aimed at borrowers traditional banks often decline.

Between the lines: - The company is positioning transparency as a sales advantage in a market where buyers may be wary of land-only deals. - The strategy also serves as a trust signal: if TerraFunded can be verified with the same checklist, the company can argue it has nothing to hide. - The move comes as fraudsters use the same public records buyers rely on, which makes verification more about process than access. - Blanco said education is the best protection for buyers who are often pressured or dismissed elsewhere.

What’s next: - TerraFunded says the verification guide, rural land checklist and buyer education library are available free at terrafunded.com/blog. - The company says it will continue closing transactions through licensed Texas title companies with Warranty Deeds recorded at closing.

The bottom line: - TerraFunded is betting that making buyers more fraud-aware will build trust, reduce scams and set its sales process apart in a crowded land-financing market.