14 November 2025, 19:00

8

Rapid surge of fake property listings on mixed-content marketplaces

Rapid surge of fake property listings on mixed-content marketplaces

BuySell is the only platform that establishes the highest safety standard in the Cyprus real-estate market, resulting in zero recorded fraud incidents.

A sharp rise in real-estate scams through fake property listings on mixed-content marketplaces is causing growing concern across Cyprus. Scammers are taking advantage of the “backdoor” offered by such platforms, where anyone can upload a listing without checks, verification, or any form of identity confirmation.

Authorities and professional bodies are closely monitoring the situation, as the number of victims has continued to increase steadily in recent months.

According to recent reports, citizens across the country have lost significant amounts of money after dealing with “owners” or “agents” who turned out to be non-existent.

The most common cases include:

In many cases, victims report that only upon arriving at the property did they discover that it was either not for rent or did not belong to the person they had communicated with.

Experts point out that the root of the problem lies in general classified marketplaces where listings can be posted by anyone, without any verification process.This environment, they say, has become fertile ground for organised groups targeting vulnerable users; particularly students, new renters, foreign nationals, and individuals unfamiliar with the local market.

The lack of oversight has made the phenomenon systemic rather than isolated.

In this climate of growing concern, and in contrast to mixed-content marketplaces, BuySell has implemented a complete security and verification framework.

BuySell is the only platform in Cyprus fully protected against such incidents, operating exclusively with verified sellers, property owners, and licensed professionals, supported by strict property-verification procedures.

Market experts state that BuySell’s strict policies have completely prevented scammers from entering the platform, resulting in zero recorded fraud incidents.

Due to BuySell’s reliability and market dominance, recent months have seen a permanent migration of professionals, real-estate companies, agents, and everyday users toward the platform.

Industry professionals report that clients are now requesting to view properties exclusively through verified channels such as BuySell, avoiding mixed-content marketplaces where scammers can operate.

At the same time, many agencies and real-estate offices are abandoning mixed-content platforms altogether, stating that their presence alongside fake and unverified listings undermines their professional credibility.

Experts strongly advise the public:

As fraud incidents continue to rise, it is crucial for the public to stay informed and choose safe methods when searching for property.

To view all properties in Cyprus safely, download the BuySell app:

https://www.buysellcyprus.com

Similar news

UN climate talks were nearing a midway point on Friday, with countries still wrangling over which issues they might be able to rally around in a final summit deal – and whether such a deal is even possible.Outside, Indig...

Icon

58 minutes ago

A video of a woman filmed driving on a Limassol highway while simultaneously handling a laptop and a mobile phone on Wednesday night has gone viral on various social media platforms on Friday. The video was shared on soc...

Icon

58 minutes ago

A new digital platform for social care structures, designed to give the public clear and immediate access to all approved facilities under its supervision has been launched, the social welfare deputy ministry announced o...

Icon

1 hour ago

A series of walks, workshops and creative meetings will bring together residents and artists this autumn to co-create in one Larnaca neighbourhood. The event series is presented by Larnaka 2030, the Municipality of Larna...

Icon

1 hour ago

Romania has summoned the Russian ambassador to Bucharest to protest the November 11 national airspace breach after recovered drone fragments “offered irrefutable proof of Russian origin”, the foreign ministry said on Fri...

Icon

1 hour ago

Gender equality is an essential pillar of peace, sustainable development, and democracy and has advanced across several institutional levels in recent years, gender equality commissioner Josie Christodoulou said on Frida...

Icon

1 hour ago

French police shot and wounded a knife-wielding man in Montparnasse train station in central Paris on Friday – one day after the ten-year anniversary of the Paris terror attacks. A police officer shot in the leg the 34-y...

Icon

1 hour ago

Iranian forces are believed to have seized a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker managed by Cyprus-based Columbia Shipmanagement after it abruptly changed course in the Gulf of Oman while sailing from the United Arab Emirate...

Icon

1 hour ago

The assets of investment funds in Cyprus recorded a 16 per cent increase in September 2025, compared with the same month in 2024, the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC) said on Friday.The total assets of investment funds reach...

Icon

2 hours ago

Mutuum Finance (MUTM) has rapidly caught the attention of the crypto market. Currently priced at just $0.035, MUTM is gaining momentum as a serious contender in the decentralized finance space. The project is in Phase 6...

Icon

2 hours ago