$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
Zillow Offers impersonator scam
Scammers impersonate the discontinued Zillow Offers program, contacting homeowners with unsolicited purchase offers and requesting personal financial details or upfront fees to proceed.
“real estate scam”
↑ 282%Key indicators
Usually targetsHomeowners
Often hitsReal estate professionals and homebuyers
Common regionUnited States
Last updated2026-04-04
Estimated impact
$84K
median reported loss
Typical range$12K – $480K
Recovery rate~10%
Annual reports9,521
Scam breakdown
1
Scammers contact homeowners via email, mail, or phone claiming Zillow Offers wants to buy their home at an attractive price.
2
They request personal financial information or an appraisal fee to proceed with the offer.
3
The money and personal data are stolen — Zillow discontinued its Offers iBuyer program in November 2021.
What to do first
Be aware that Zillow Offers was shut down in November 2021 — any offer claiming to be from this program is fraudulent.
Related terms
fake Zillow OffersZillow iBuyer scamZillow home purchase fraudReal estate wire fraudZillowRisingHomeownersSeniorsAdultsReal estate professionals and homebuyersRetirees and seniorsLawyers and legal professionalsUnited Statesfake Zillow OffersZillow iBuyer scam
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Emily, 42, a homeowners, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate real estate wire fraud situation while using Zillow. Scammers contact homeowners via email, mail, or phone claiming Zillow Offers wants to buy their home at an attractive price.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: They request personal financial information or an appraisal fee to proceed with the offer.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: The money and personal data are stolen — Zillow discontinued its Offers iBuyer program in November 2021.
The outcome
Emily realized something was wrong when unsolicited offer to buy your home claiming to be from zillow offers, which was discontinued in 2021. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
Be aware that Zillow Offers was shut down in November 2021 — any offer claiming to be from this program is fraudulent. Emily's experience shows why unsolicited offer to buy your home claiming to be from zillow offers, which was discontinued in 2021 and requests an upfront fee or financial details to process the offer are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- Unsolicited offer to buy your home claiming to be from Zillow Offers, which was discontinued in 2021
- Requests an upfront fee or financial details to process the offer
- Communication comes from a non-Zillow email domain
- Pause before paying, clicking, or sharing information. Scammers rely on speed.
- Verify the sender, company, or agency using a phone number or website you already know is legitimate.
- Treat secrecy, urgency, and off-platform payment requests as strong scam signals.
What to do now
- ✓Be aware that Zillow Offers was shut down in November 2021 — any offer claiming to be from this program is fraudulent.
- ✓Never pay upfront fees to sell your home to an unsolicited buyer.
- ✓Report the contact to Zillow and to the FTC.
What to save before reporting
- ✓Save the message, profile, phone number, email, or URL that was used.
- ✓Keep payment confirmations, receipts, and account alerts before you dispute or delete anything.
- ✓Write down the timeline while the details are still fresh.
How big is this problem
You are not alone — this scam affects millions of people.
These numbers come from government agencies and official reports. If you have been affected, know that this is a widespread problem — not something that only happens to careless people.
FTC 2024 fraud losses
Imposters
Most common FTC fraud category in 2024
FTC says imposter scams remained the most commonly reported fraud category in 2024.
History and evolution
- This scam family tends to persist because the social-engineering pressure works even when the exact scripts, platforms, and payment methods change.
- The specific packaging evolves over time, but the core pattern usually stays the same: create urgency, control the channel, and push action before verification.
- Zillow officially shut down its Offers iBuyer program in November 2021, making any subsequent contact claiming to represent the program inherently fraudulent.
Recovery and follow-up
- ✓Save the messages, receipts, account alerts, and transaction details before you block or delete anything.
- ✓Report the scam through the official platform or government channel that best matches where it happened.
- ✓Be aware that Zillow Offers was shut down in November 2021 — any offer claiming to be from this program is fraudulent.
- ✓Never pay upfront fees to sell your home to an unsolicited buyer.
- ✓Report the contact to Zillow and to the FTC.
Why this pattern keeps working
Even when the story changes, most scams still use the same pressure pattern: urgency, authority, and a request to move money or data fast.
Zillow officially shut down its Offers iBuyer program in November 2021, making any subsequent contact claiming to represent the program inherently fraudulent.
OpenScam research
Where to report it
If you have been targeted by this scam, reporting it helps authorities track the pattern and protect others. United States has dedicated agencies that handle fraud reports.
ReportFraud.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Central U.S. consumer fraud reporting portal.
File an IC3 complaint
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
FBI portal for internet-enabled crime reports.
Start identity theft recovery
IdentityTheft.gov
Official U.S. identity theft recovery plan builder.
Explore further
Understand the bigger picture
Who is most at risk
Who this scam targets
Primary targets
Homeowners, Seniors, Adults
Geographic concentration
United States
Primary channel
Zillow — Real estate wire fraud
Why this group is vulnerable
Homeowners are particularly vulnerable because this scam exploits trust in familiar brands, authority figures, and time-sensitive decisions. The growing number of reports suggests that awareness among this demographic remains low.
Sources and methodology
How we verify this information
OpenScam tracks scam patterns using a combination of government consumer protection databases (FTC, IC3, Action Fraud), platform-specific fraud reports, and verified consumer complaint data. Each entry is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Severity ratings are based on financial impact potential, reversibility of damage, and volume of reports across multiple reporting channels. Trend velocity reflects the rate of change in report volume over the most recent 90-day window.
This page was last verified on 2026-04-04. Red flags, recovery steps, and reporting resources are reviewed quarterly against current agency guidance.
Evidence and indicators
- Zillow officially shut down its Offers iBuyer program in November 2021, making any subsequent contact claiming to represent the program inherently fraudulent.
Source notes
- OpenScam research
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about zillow offers impersonator scam
How does the zillow offers impersonator scam work?+
Scammers contact homeowners via email, mail, or phone claiming Zillow Offers wants to buy their home at an attractive price. They request personal financial information or an appraisal fee to proceed with the offer. The money and personal data are stolen — Zillow discontinued its Offers iBuyer program in November 2021.
What are the warning signs of zillow offers impersonator scam?+
Unsolicited offer to buy your home claiming to be from Zillow Offers, which was discontinued in 2021 Requests an upfront fee or financial details to process the offer Communication comes from a non-Zillow email domain
What should I do if I encounter zillow offers impersonator scam?+
Be aware that Zillow Offers was shut down in November 2021 — any offer claiming to be from this program is fraudulent. Never pay upfront fees to sell your home to an unsolicited buyer. Report the contact to Zillow and to the FTC.
Who is most at risk for zillow offers impersonator scam?+
This scam primarily targets Homeowners, Seniors, Adults. It is most commonly reported in United States and typically appears on Zillow.
Is zillow offers impersonator scam on the rise?+
Zillow Offers impersonator scam is currently on the rise with growing reports. It has been reported across US. Last updated 2026-04-04.
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Help someone avoid this scam.
Scammers succeed because people do not talk about it. If you or someone you know has been affected, there is no shame in it — it happens to millions of people every year. Share this page with friends and family so they know what to look for.