N
ew research from PPS House Buyers shows Arizona ranks fifth nationwide in real‑estate scam incidents during the holiday season, with 2.04 reports per 100,000 residents between October and December. Victims lose an average of $18,025—above the national mean of $16,369—likely driven by rapid population growth, strong buyer demand, and year‑end transaction pressure.

    Nevada leads the country with 2.64 reports per 100,000 in the final quarter, generating $1.39 million in losses across 86 cases and an average loss exceeding $16,000. Georgia and Florida follow with 2.29 and 2.23 reports per 100,000, respectively; Florida’s Q4 losses top $7.2 million. Alaska, though fourth overall, reports only 16 scams annually, yet its total loss exceeds $170,000.

    The top ten states—Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, Florida, Alaska, Colorado, South Carolina, Virginia, Missouri, and Hawaii—all report rates well above the national average of 1.14 per 100,000. At the opposite end, North Dakota records just 0.17 reports per 100,000 but suffers the highest average loss ($76,142). Wisconsin, Iowa, Arkansas, and Rhode Island are the five states with the lowest scam frequency; Arkansas, however, has a per‑victim loss of $17,828. Wyoming and North Dakota also report the steepest individual damages, with averages of $80,694 and $76,000, respectively.

    “Holiday urgency creates a perfect storm for scammers,” says PPS CEO Joel Medrano. He urges buyers and sellers to confirm identities through official channels, avoid wiring money based solely on email instructions, and remain wary of deals that demand immediate action.