Real Estate Fraud Detection
Upload the listing photo. See if the location matches the claim.
Listing fraud is common. A photo sourced from another market is the easiest way to fake a property. Geolocate the image before you tour.
Listing red flags at a glance
- Vegetation mismatch
- 38%
- Wrong road markings
- 24%
- Architecture mismatch
- 19%
- Wrong vehicle plates
- 11%
- Other cues
- 8%
Distribution of fraud signals across reported cases
The listing says / Orca found
The listing says
Luxury Miami condo in Brickell. Modern low-rise with palm trees, a pool, and a parking lot.
Claimed: 25.7617, -80.1918
Orca found
Development near Santiago de Queretaro, Mexico. Spanish-language road markings, desert vegetation, stucco utility poles.
Actual: 20.5888, -100.3899
Top red flags
Scroll to see all four.
Vegetation
Palm trees in a New England listing
Road markings
Foreign-language stop signs
Architecture
Stucco where wood-frame is standard
Vehicle plates
Wrong jurisdiction format
What to check
Run through this grid against every listing photo before you schedule a tour.
Plant species match the climate zone
Road signs in the correct language
Architectural vernacular fits the region
Utility pole design matches local grid
Vehicle plates match jurisdiction
Shadow angles fit the claimed latitude
Signage script matches the country
Sky and weather match the season
Check another listing
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Questions and answers
Can Oceanir detect fake real estate photos?+
Oceanir geolocates the photo, not the listing. If a property photo claimed to be in Miami resolves to a development in Mexico, that geographic mismatch is the fraud signal. Upload the listing photo and review the coordinates, confidence, and visual cues Orca returns.
What visual cues expose a fraudulent listing photo?+
The strongest cues are vegetation type, road marking language, utility pole design, vehicle plate format, architectural vernacular, and shadow angle. Any one of these can contradict the claimed location; two or more is a near-certain mismatch.
Should I confront the listing agent?+
No. Preserve screenshots, save the photo file, and report the listing to the platform. If there is financial loss, file a report with the FTC and your state attorney general. Confronting the agent gives them time to delete evidence.
Does Oceanir work on listing screenshots?+
Yes. Oceanir reads pixels, not metadata, so screenshots and social-media-sourced images work. EXIF and GPS are stripped by every major platform on upload; visual geolocation does not depend on them.
How accurate is geolocation for real estate fraud detection?+
Outdoor scenes with distinct infrastructure resolve to street level with high confidence. Interior shots or generic suburban exteriors resolve to city or region. The confidence score on each candidate tells you how far to trust it before escalating.