How deal support works: checks when buying from an elderly seller

On the resale market, more and more cases involve a court voiding a sale because the seller was deceived by phone scammers, leaving a good-faith buyer with neither the apartment nor their money. Here's how this scheme works, what changed after a recent Supreme Court clarification, and the verification protocol that lowers the risk when buying from an elderly seller.

How the scheme works

Scammers isolate an elderly owner from their relatives, convince them to sell the apartment and hand over the money "for safekeeping" - under the guise of an investigation, a special operation, or some other story. The deal itself can go through entirely officially: a notary, a cashless transfer, every certificate in order. The problem surfaces later, when the seller goes to the police, is recognized as a victim, and then sues to have the sale declared invalid as made under a mistaken belief.

Why a buyer can end up with neither the apartment nor the money

If a court voids the sale, bilateral restitution applies: the apartment goes back to the seller, and the buyer is supposed to get their money back. In practice, by that point the money has already gone to the scammers, and there's usually nothing to collect from a seller who has no income or assets besides that apartment. The buyer loses both the home and the money - and if it was bought on a mortgage, the loan obligation remains. This category of disputes became widely known in the press as the "Dolina case," after a high-profile dispute over a public figure's apartment sale in 2025.

What changed after December 2025

In late 2025, Russia's Supreme Court issued clarifications on this category of disputes: a seller's mistaken belief about the deal's motives alone isn't automatic grounds to void it, and courts must weigh the buyer's good faith and give both sides equal protection. This has shifted practice somewhat in buyers' favor, but hasn't eliminated the risk - lawyers note that cases involving deals already made are still being resolved inconsistently, so the new guidance alone shouldn't be relied on as a guarantee.

Warning signs to watch for

Deals deserve extra scrutiny when the seller is an elderly person living alone with no other property, selling without buying a replacement, recently deregistered "into thin air," or when someone claiming to be a relative represents the seller's interests with no supporting documents. There are cases, for example, where a seller is represented at the deal by their son's "assistant" - and the son turns out not to exist. No single sign proves fraud on its own, but several together are a strong reason for extra checks before the deal.

A verification protocol for buying from an elderly seller

In practice, a combination of measures lowers the risk: confirming the seller owns another home, if the deal isn't a like-for-like exchange; using a notarized deal rather than a simple written contract; confirming the seller has registered at a new permanent address rather than deregistering with nowhere to go; and getting confirmation, or at least documented awareness, from close relatives that the sale is happening. No single measure guarantees safety on its own, but together they substantially lower the odds of ending up in a fraudulent deal.

What to check when buying from an elderly owner

• Whether the seller owns another home, if they're selling without buying a replacement.
• Whether the deal is notarized rather than done as a simple written contract.
• Whether the seller has registered at a new permanent address, rather than deregistering with nowhere to go.
• Whether the seller's relatives confirm in writing that they're aware of the sale.
• Whether documents proving family ties are genuine, if a relative represents the seller.

Want to close a deal with an elderly seller safely

Describe the situation by phone - we will handle checking the seller and supporting the deal to lower this risk.

8 909 440-80-80

All articles