Last updated: June 2026
The biggest property fraud in Ghana is land sold more than once. You avoid it, and the other scams, with a few steps: run an official Lands Commission title search before paying, use a licensed and established developer, engage your own lawyer, and pay only into a law-firm or escrow account. Treat pressure to pay quickly as a warning sign. Done together, these remove most of the risk of buying from abroad.
Buying from a distance feels riskier, and the fear of being scammed stops many diaspora buyers. The reassuring truth is that a handful of standard checks defeat almost every scam. This guide names the frauds and the defences. It draws together the threads from our due-diligence checklist and title verification guide.
The scams to know
The main frauds are: the same land sold to several buyers, fake or encumbered title documents, land that cannot be developed as promised, and deposits paid to a personal account that then vanish. Each one has a specific, simple defence, so knowing them is half the protection.
| Scam | How it works | How you avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple sale | The same land is sold to several buyers | Official Lands Commission title search before paying |
| Fake or defective title | Forged or encumbered documents | Lawyer-led title search and document review |
| No permit / cannot build | Land that cannot be developed as promised | Verify planning and building permits |
| Deposit theft | Money paid to a personal account, then gone | Pay only into a law-firm or escrow account |
Notice the pattern: every scam is defeated by verification before payment, plus a controlled payment route. None of the defences is expensive or hard; they just have to happen in the right order.
The title search defeats most of it
An official Lands Commission title search is the single most powerful defence, because it exposes the most common fraud, multiple sale, before you pay. It confirms who owns the land and whether it carries disputes or charges, and it can be tracked online from abroad.
Run it before any money moves, never after. A seller who pressures you to pay first is showing you the clearest warning sign there is. The mechanics are in how to verify a land title.
Use a licensed developer and your own lawyer
A licensed, established developer with finished, occupied buildings has a record you can verify, which removes most completion and title risk. Your own lawyer, acting only for you, runs the searches, reviews the agreement and handles registration. Together they are the backbone of a safe purchase.
Be wary of any developer that can only show renders and promises. Ask which buildings they have completed and handed over, and when, the same test set out in is off-plan property safe in Ghana.
Buy from a developer you can verify
Imaani Homes has delivered on a 100% on-time record across its developments, two of them sold out, on registered titles with payments into controlled accounts. Ask us for the proof on any unit.
View available apartmentsNever pay a personal account
Pay only into a law-firm or escrow account, never a personal one. Money in a controlled account is traceable and protected; money in a personal account can simply disappear. This one rule defeats deposit theft outright, so hold it firmly no matter what reason you are given.
It is the simplest safeguard in the whole process, and a legitimate counterparty will never object to it. A request to pay a personal account is itself a reason to walk away.
The red flags
Stop if you see pressure to pay fast, a request to pay a personal account, a developer with no completed projects, or vague answers on title or permits. Any single one is enough to halt the deal, however good the price or the story sounds. Scams rely on urgency; legitimate deals can wait for your checks.
| Reassuring | Warning sign |
|---|---|
| Willing to wait for a title search | Pressure to pay before the search is done |
| Payment into a law-firm or escrow account | A request to pay a personal account |
| A licensed developer with finished buildings | No completed projects, only promises |
| Clear, verifiable title and permits | Vague answers on title or permits |
Trust the checklist, not the pitch. If a deal cannot survive a title search, a lawyer’s review and an escrow account, it is not a deal you want.
About Imaani Homes
Imaani Homes is an Accra-based luxury real estate developer, established in 2019, building investment-grade apartments in Ghana’s most prestigious addresses. Across four developments we have delivered every project on time, with two fully sold out: JAK Royale, our debut development, and The Ivy. Alexis Residence in Tesano is over 90% sold, and our flagship Regalia, in the Airport Residential Area, is open for reservations. Our standard is simple: the right property, in the right address, delivered exactly as promised.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common property scam in Ghana?
Selling the same land to more than one buyer. It is the single biggest fraud, and it is exactly what an official title search at the Lands Commission exposes before you pay. No money should change hands until that search is back clean.
How do I avoid scams when buying from abroad?
Run an official title search before paying, use a licensed and established developer, engage your own lawyer, and pay only into a law-firm or escrow account, never a personal one. Treat pressure to pay quickly as a warning sign. Those few steps remove most of the risk.
Why is paying into a personal account dangerous?
Because it removes your protection. Money in a law-firm or escrow account is controlled and traceable; money in a personal account can simply disappear. Insisting on an escrow or law-firm account is one of the simplest and strongest safeguards you have.
How do I check a developer is legitimate?
Ask which buildings they have completed and handed over, and when. A licensed developer with finished, occupied projects has a record you can verify; one with only renders and promises does not. Track record is the clearest signal of legitimacy.
What are the red flags?
Pressure to pay fast, a request to pay a personal account, no completed projects, and vague answers on title or permits. Any one of these should stop you, regardless of how attractive the price or the story sounds.
Worried about a purchase from abroad?
Send us the property or developer you are considering and we will help you run the checks, the title, the permits and the payment route, before you commit anything.
Talk to our teamImportant notice. The figures in this article, including yields, prices, costs, tax rates, and timelines, are indicative estimates based on current market conditions and public sources, and are provided for general information only. They are not guarantees, forecasts, or financial, legal, or tax advice. Actual figures vary with circumstances and change over time. Before making any decision, seek independent professional advice. All purchases are governed solely by the terms of the relevant Sales and Purchase Agreement.