97% of buyers miss property scam red flags: we cannot afford to leave trust to chance.

PEXA’s latest research should stop us in our tracks: 97% of Australians buying or selling property failed to spot the signs of a scam.

That is not a small gap; it is a catastrophic failure in how we protect clients.

Property settlements are the perfect hunting ground for criminals: high-value sums; compressed timelines; stressed clients; and an outdated reliance on email. The fraudsters know they do not need to break systems; they only need to break trust.

When a family loses their life savings because of a slightly altered email address or a rushed payment to “new” bank details, the damage is irreversible. The industry cannot look away.

So what do we do?

We cannot keep asking clients to rely on email vigilance alone. Awareness helps, but vigilance alone will not outpace cybercrime. Security has to be designed into the process, and that is where technology must step in.

At Livesign, we have built compliance that clients barely notice but practitioners can rely on:

• Verify the identity of the person signing key document(s) – Livesign can biometrically verify the signer of any document, not just a CAF.  No need to rely on email to handle funding directions.
• Use biometric ID checks to secure all or some of your client interactions
• Securely communicate with your clients - remove emails from the equation and send key documents to clients via Livesign’s platform.

No weak links.No more unsecured movement of key documents. No inbox guesswork.

PEXA’s work has raised the alarm; now the industry must respond by closing the gaps scammers exploit. Platforms like PEXA Key protect the settlement; Livesign protects every step leading into it.

Compliance is not a chore to tick off; it is a shield for clients and a safeguard for professionals. It should not slow youdown; it should give you confidence to move faster.

Scammers are innovating relentlessly. Our obligation is clear: innovate faster, remove the gaps, and make secure transactions the standard, not the exception.

Ready to stop scams before they start? Book a demo today and see how Livesign secures VOI and eCAF.

‍