Your apartment can be sold without your knowledge – what has changed in 2026

A scary scenario from the movie: you continue to live in your apartment, and one day you learn that it already legally belongs to another person. In 2026, this is not just a thriller story. With the development of remote registration technologies, where the identity is confirmed by face and voice, the procedure has become more convenient, but also more vulnerable to digital scammers.

The main threat comes not from government systems, but from social engineering methods. Fraudsters hunt for access to your account on public services or enhanced qualified electronic signature (UKEP), using phishing links and calls from false employees of departments. At particular risk are rentiers, new heirs and elderly people who do not always feel confident in the digital environment.

How to build an impenetrable defense? The most effective and free tool is to establish a ban on registration actions without the personal participation of the owner.

As soon as this mark appears in the Unified State Register of Real Estate (EGRN), Rosreestr automatically rejects any attempts to sell, gift or mortgage your apartment remotely. Attackers will simply run into legislative deadlock.

Short instructions for protection:

1. Go to your personal account on the portal of public services or visit the nearest MFC.

2. Submit an application for making a record in the USRN about the impossibility of registering the transfer of rights without personal presence. The service is absolutely free.

3. Expect to update your data (usually up to five business days).

For maximum peace of mind, it is also recommended to connect push notifications from Rosreestr about any manipulations with your object and enable two-factor authentication on the public services portal.

By spending ten minutes on this simple bureaucratic procedure today, you insure yourself against years of litigation tomorrow.

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