In 2025, the FBI received 453,000 cyber-enabled fraud complaints and reported losses exceeded $17.7 billion. It’s a staggering figure and reflects just how prevalent these online schemes have become in everyday life, especially for real estate consumers and even agents.
Buyers and sellers must not only remain vigilant and educate themselves on the latest scams (check out my 2026 “scams get glam” post here) but also work with an experienced agent who understands how to help clients transact safely.
There’s a new—and scary—scam called the “Zoom Link” scam that I’ve encountered several times over the past few months. It mostly targets real estate agents and goes something like this:
- A buyer reaches out about an active listing, asking to discuss next steps. The prospective buyer is educated and informed about the property and in general, everything seems legitimate from the initial conversation. No red flags … yet. Then, the buyer asks to set up a Zoom call because they can’t meet in person and sends a link to a Zoom meeting.
- If you click on the link, malware gets installed on your computer, allowing the “buyer” (A.K.A. a real estate scammer) to access your files, passwords and confidential client information.
- In some cases, after you click on the link, a prompt appears to “update” your Zoom and clicking on that installs malware on your computer that allows the scammer to view your files and information. In other newer cases, the scammer takes a photograph of the agent using this link and then uses it to for AI deepfake creations wherein they’ll impersonate the agent to communicate with a client or attempt to fraudulently transact as the agent. (Beyond frightening!)
To avoid this scenario, be very wary of any prospective contact that wants to communicate via Zoom or video call without fully establishing who they are. Also be wary of anyone who refuses to communicate over the phone or in person. If the language of the email contains urgency (“can we meet immediately?”), take that as a red flag. And if a buyer says they’re out of state or out of the country and can only communicate this way, you may have a scammer on your hands.
Whenever a request similar to the above comes through, I usually vet it with a simple solution. After verifying the identity of the inquirer, I’ll ask if it’s possible to chat on the phone or in person first. If the buyer says no, then I’ll provide my own Zoom link from my verified and secure Zoom account for the meeting. If they refuse it, I know something is up! It’s as easy as that!
I’ve been in this business for more than thirty years and I can usually rely on my gut intuition to separate the serious inquiries from the scams. If you have questions about how to mitigate potential real estate scams, reach out! I’d be happy to share what I know and the best practices for a safe transaction.
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Andrew Manning • REALTOR® • Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties • DRE: 00941825 • 818-380-2147 • andrew@andrewmanning.com