Hundreds of people have been defrauded by individuals posing as real estate agents, according to the Cyprus Real Estate Agents Registration Council, which is registering an average of three to five criminal cases per day against illegal brokerage activities.

Since 2023, the council’s lawyers have filed 565 criminal cases, publishing the names of those convicted on ktimatomesites.com for public awareness.

Victims have reportedly been lured through fraudulent sales or double sales of land and houses, attempts to rent third-party apartments via online listings and schemes in which perpetrators collected down payments or commissions before disappearing.

Many complaints are submitted daily to the council by licensed agents and members of the public.

Official data shows the scale of the problem: from 2023 to the present term of the board, 565 criminal cases were filed against individuals and companies violating the Real Estate Agents Law.

Under the chairmanship of Marinos Kineyirou, prosecutions have followed a steady pattern in recent years.

In 2022, 460 cases were registered, resulting in convictions of 25 companies and 45 individuals in 55 cases.

In 2021, courts convicted 20 companies and 55 individuals in 50 cases. In 2020, 37 cases led to convictions of 22 companies and 40 individuals, while 2019 saw 28 cases with 15 companies and 30 individuals convicted.

In 2018, courts convicted 10 companies and 25 individuals in 25 cases.

President of the Real Estate Registration Council, Marinos Kineyirou, told Politis that “Our attitude towards illegal real estate brokerage is and will remain one of zero tolerance. It is not just a slogan; it is our everyday life,”

“We are making a huge effort to combat it.”

Over the past three years, the council has bolstered its inspection teams in numbers and expertise across all of Cyprus’ provinces. The aim, he said, is “identifying illegals and registering criminal cases against them, whether they are physical or for legal entities.”

“We have increased our efficiency and are now identifying illegalities at their source,” he added.