In a statement, the GNR says it recorded 725 cases of fraud in the purchase and rental of homes in 2025. The same statement mentions that in 2024 and 2025, the GNR arrested three suspects linked to these illicit activities.

Slight reduction

“Although there is a slight reduction of 5% [in 2025] compared to the 762 occurrences in 2024, the phenomenon remains widespread throughout the territory, with particular incidence in tourist areas and large urban centres,” says the Guard.

According to data from the GNR, Faro leads with 153 crimes (about 21% of the national total), followed by Setúbal (91 occurrences), Lisbon (86), Braga and Porto (72 each), Aveiro (46), Leiria (41), Santarém (38), Castelo Branco (21), and Viseu (20).

Increase in inland

The police highlights the sharp increase in this type of crime in inland and northern districts, with Portalegre registering an increase of 150% (four crimes in 2024 and 10 last year), Viana do Castelo 89% (nine crimes in 2024 and 17 last year), Leiria 78% (23 crimes in 2024 and 42 in 2025), and Castelo Branco 75% (12 in 2024 and 21 in 2025).

Modus operandi

In the statement, the GNR reminds that the ‘modus operandi’ involves using photographs of real houses to create fictitious advertisements at prices below market value, aiming to attract victims with the economic advantage.

The objective of the method, according to the GNR, is to lead the victim to make an immediate payment (deposit) to guarantee the reservation, without any in-person contact or visit to the property.

Difficult to detect

“The fraud is often detected only months later, when the advertiser's contact is deactivated, or the victim goes to the address, finding that it does not exist or is not available for rent,” indicates the Guard.

Thus, the GNR advises the public to be wary of “irresistible deals” with prices well below the area average, to visit the property in person, to investigate the advertisement, researching whether the same photographs appear on different platforms with different contacts or prices.

It also recommends that the public ask for the advertiser's identification and verify that the holder of the bank account for payment corresponds to the name provided, and not to give in to requests for immediate deposit under the pretext that there are “many interested parties”.