Fraud Prevention

At our company, we understand how hard you have worked for your money. For this reason, we want to provide you with several important guidelines that can help you avoid fraud during the process of selling, purchasing, leasing, or renting any type of property, as well as throughout your job search in the real estate sector as Real Estate Agents, Property Consultants, or Brokers.

Please read the following information carefully, and do not hesitate to contact us—or the police authorities—if you suspect that someone is attempting to defraud you.

IMPORTANT NOTICE to prospective buyers and tenants regarding money transfers or payments

There have been several reports across the country concerning individuals who falsely pose as property owners, lawyers, engineers, accountants, notaries, or real-estate agents, with the sole purpose of extracting money from prospective buyers or tenants. These schemes can take many forms, and the guidance provided here cannot describe every possible scenario. As a legitimate buyer or tenant, we want you to be aware of the potential risks.

You should be especially cautious of the following:

• Never give cash to anyone whether they claim to be the owner, lawyer, accountant, engineer, notary, or real-estate agent. Cash payments cannot be verified and are not permitted under Greek law for amounts above €500.

• All agreed payments must be transferred through a bank account of a licensed financial institution within Greece or the EU, or made by cheque or card.

• If you receive an SMS, email, or phone call asking you to deposit money as a guarantee, “earnest money,” “deposit,” or “advance payment” for a property you are interested in, always verify both the message source and the sender. Before making any transfer, confirm the recipient and check the accuracy of the bank details, including the holder’s full name or the company name.

• If someone claiming to be a real-estate agent asks you for money - especially cash - to “secure” a property, always request:
– Their professional broker license
– Their General Commercial Registry (GEMI) number
– Their membership number with the relevant Professional Chamber or real-estate association
This allows you to verify whether the person is a legitimate real-estate broker and to confirm their registered office and contact details.
Only after verification should any amount be transferred, and always via bank transfer, cheque, or card, accompanied by a signed Private Agreement for deposit/escrow, which must clearly describe the purpose of the payment, the specific property, its location, its owner, and it must bear the official seal and signature of the licensed broker or brokerage company.

Our company will never request cash payments.

Any payment to us, whether for our commission or as escrow, is made strictly via bank transfer to a Greek bank account, or by cheque or card, after signing the relevant Private Agreement, stamped and signed by our legal representative.

This is part of our standardized operational procedures. When you decide to proceed with the purchase or rental of a property, and to finalize the agreement and its terms, a signed private agreement and the payment of a guarantee to our company as escrow agent - not directly to the owner - is always required for your full protection.

Our company guarantees 100% of the escrow amount you deposit, and additionally compensates you with 50% of that amount if, due to the seller’s fault or due to legal/technical issues of the property, the final contract is not concluded within the agreed timeframe.

The above guidelines do NOT constitute legal advice.

If your attorney disagrees with our fully lawful, safe, and equitable procedures designed to protect all parties, we urge you not to work with us and to choose another property and another real-estate professional.

Protection for Property Owners Selling or Leasing with Us

We provide equivalent protection to property owners who sell or lease their properties exclusively through us. If the prospective buyer or tenant withdraws for any reason (except when the owner is at fault), we compensate the owner with 50% of the agreed escrow amount or brokerage fee (whichever is greater), immediately.

Additionally, we provide full legal support at our own expense, if the buyer’s/tenant’s withdrawal demonstrably causes further financial loss.

IMPORTANT NOTICE regarding employment / work-related fraud in the Real Estate sector

Our company operates under the trade names “Canopus Brokers,” “YOUR HOME SOLD,” and “YOUR HOME SOLD by Canopus Brokers™.”

What follows does not refer to the entire real-estate industry in Greece, but to a significant portion of it.

It has come to our attention that some of our trade names have been used by third parties:
a) to defame us as a company or brokerage firm, with the intention of misleading or deterring prospective collaborators from working with us, attempting (unsuccessfully) to undermine our credibility and values; and
b) to commit fraud against individuals interested in working in real estate as “Property Consultants,” “Real Estate Advisors,” or “Real Estate Agents.”

Various individuals or companies frequently post fake job listings on third-party websites, social media, or send emails offering “opportunities” in the real-estate sector. They may even schedule interviews through online platforms such as Viber, Zoom, Teams, Messenger, WhatsApp, etc.
These impersonators aim to gain access to your personal information and persuade you to cooperate with them by promising high commissions or income, without fulfilling the legal requirements—ultimately seeking their own financial gain.

Important reminders:

• Our company does not operate in such a manner, and we never present false or misleading information regarding employment in real estate.

• We always conduct:
– A phone interview
– An online interview
– A personal meeting at our offices

• Any collaboration with us is established only through signed Private Agreements between two independent contracting parties, clearly defining all terms, rights, and obligations.

Legal Requirements for Real Estate Agents

The profession of Real Estate Broker / Agent / Property Consultant in Greece is governed by Law 4072/2012 (as amended), which requires:

• Registration in the General Commercial Registry (GEMI)
• Registration with the relevant Professional Chamber

For the greater Athens area, the competent authority is the Athens Chamber of Tradesmen.

If you see job postings for Real Estate Agents / Property Consultants / Brokers, whether in print media, online job portals, social media platforms, or email messages, exercise caution.
Some individuals may promise extremely high commissions, salaries, or benefits to lure you in. Such promises often prove false, and the agreed terms are never fulfilled.

Any agreement must always be in writing, and all income is subject to real-estate brokerage laws and tax regulations.

Regarding offers of salaried employment

Be cautious of job offers promising fixed salaries and additional commission. Many such positions involve:

• Hidden or partial employment arrangements
• Reduced working hours instead of full-time schedules
• “Training” categories with limited pay
• Requests to return salariеs, bonuses, or allowances

Most importantly:
Anyone performing real-estate brokerage activities must be registered with GEMI, and therefore cannot be hired as a standard salaried employee.

Our company does not “hire” salaried Real Estate Agents.

We only enter into partnership agreements with independent professionals (whether currently active or about to start a new business).
All cooperation agreements are executed in writing, never verbally.

The above does not apply to the entire real-estate industry in Greece, but it affects a considerable portion of it.

If you have any doubts about job postings referring to us, please contact us directly.

More information about the real-estate profession is available in our FAQ sections, our articles for professional agents, and our video blog.
You may also explore our Real Estate Career page and the following topics:

• Technology for Real Estate Agents
• Training for Real Estate Agents