East Bengaluru buyer answers

What red flags suggest a property consultant in Bangalore may be running a scam?

By Gaurav Mongia, acre&key · Published 15 Oct 2026 · Updated 15 Oct 2026

Direct answer: Stop if a consultant asks you to pay them personally instead of the developer, pushes a project that isn't on the Karnataka RERA portal, won't share their own RERA agent number, offers documents you can't verify, or promises guaranteed returns. Any one of these is reason enough. A genuine real estate consultant in Bangalore won't mind you checking.

Disclosure: acre&key’s advice is free to buyers; we are an authorised sales partner for some projects and may be paid by the developer.

Verify with your lawyer: This page is general information, not legal advice. If you think you have been misled or need to file a RERA, consumer or police complaint, speak to your own lawyer about your specific facts first.

The serious ones: stop immediately

These go beyond bad practice. If you see them, don't pay anything until you've confirmed for yourself what's going on.

Red flag	What it looks like	What to do
Payment to a person, not the promoter	"Transfer the token to my account, I'll pass it on"	Pay only to the promoter's company account, confirmed by the developer in writing
Unregistered project	"RERA is coming, book now at pre-launch price"	Check rera.karnataka.gov.in; section 3 of the RERA Act bars booking before registration
No agent registration	Won't give a number, or the number doesn't match on the portal	Walk away from any registered-project deal
Documents you can't trace	Approvals or khata with no reference you can check	Ask your lawyer to verify with the issuing authority
Guaranteed returns or buyback	"Assured rental income" or "we'll buy it back"	Get it in writing from the developer, with a lawyer reviewing; usually walk away
Pressure to sign blank or incomplete forms	"We'll fill in the details later"	Never sign anything blank

The softer warning signs

These don't always mean fraud. They do mean you should slow down.

Every project they show is from one or two developers, and they can't explain why.
They discourage you from involving a lawyer, or offer their "own" lawyer for free.
They claim special "insider" prices that only last until tonight.
They're vague about who pays them.
They can't tell you anything specific about the area beyond the brochure.
They send everything on WhatsApp and avoid putting anything in an email.
Their story about the project changes between calls.

What does the law give you?

Several parts of the RERA Act are relevant.

Section 9 requires agents facilitating sales in registered projects to register, and section 9(5) requires them to quote their registration number in each sale.
Section 10 bars them from facilitating unregistered projects, from making false or misleading statements about their services, and from claiming approvals or affiliations they don't have.
Section 62 sets a penalty on agents who breach sections 9 or 10: up to ₹10,000 for each day the default continues, which can add up to five per cent of the cost of the unit involved.
Section 31 allows any aggrieved person to file a complaint with the Authority or the adjudicating officer against a promoter, allottee or agent.

So if a registered or unregistered agent misleads you on a registered project, the Karnataka RERA complaint route exists. For broader consumer issues, the National Consumer Helpline is another starting point. If money has been taken fraudulently, a police complaint may also be needed. Get legal advice on your specific case.

Checks to do before you pay anyone

Look up the project on rera.karnataka.gov.in. No registration, no booking.
Look up the agent on the same portal's agent search. Match the name.
Call the developer's official number (from their website, not from the consultant) and confirm that the consultant is an authorised partner for this project.
Confirm the bank account for any payment with the developer directly, in writing.
Get a receipt from the promoter for every payment, on their letterhead.
Have your own lawyer check title and approvals.

A consultant who is paid by the developer should tell you so. See should a consultant disclose developer payment? for what a clear disclosure looks like.

If you think you've already been caught

Stop any further payments.
Collect everything: messages, receipts, bank statements, brochures.
Contact the developer directly to check whether your payment reached them.
File a complaint on the Karnataka RERA portal if a registered project or agent is involved.
Talk to a lawyer about consumer and police complaints.

The sooner you act, the better your chances.

What does a genuine consultant do instead?

give you their RERA number without being asked twice;
tell you who pays them;
want every payment to go to the developer;
encourage you to get a lawyer;
give you time.

If that's not what you're getting, keep looking. See how to choose a trustworthy consultant.

What if an ad or sample flat misled you?

Some of the worst red flags come from the developer's side, passed on by the consultant: a brochure amenity that never gets built, a sample flat with finishes your unit won't have. Section 12 deals with this directly. If you paid an advance or deposit based on information in a notice, advertisement or prospectus, or on a model apartment, and lost money because something in it was incorrect or false, the promoter has to compensate you. If you'd rather withdraw, you're entitled to your entire investment back with interest at the prescribed rate.

That only helps if you kept the evidence. Photograph the sample flat, save the brochure PDF and the WhatsApp forwards, and keep the dated ad. A consultant who tells you "don't worry about the brochure, the agreement is what counts" is half right. The agreement matters most, but section 12 makes the ads count too.

Who can file a complaint, and against whom?

Section 31 is wider than many buyers think. Any aggrieved person can complain to the Authority or the adjudicating officer about a violation of the Act, the rules or the regulations, and the complaint can be against a promoter, an allottee or a real estate agent. The explanation to section 31(1) says "person" includes an association of allottees and any voluntary consumer association registered under law. So if several buyers in one project were misled by the same agent or the same promoter claim, you don't each have to go it alone.

Frequently asked questions

Is it a scam if a consultant asks for a booking fee?

Not necessarily, if it's paid to the developer under a written booking form. It's a red flag if it's paid to the consultant personally or there's nothing in writing.

Can a consultant sell a project before RERA registration?

Section 3 of the RERA Act says a promoter can't market, book or sell before registration, and section 10(a) says an agent can't facilitate the sale of an unregistered project. So no.

Are "assured return" schemes legal?

Treat them with deep suspicion. Get any such promise in writing from the developer and have a lawyer review it.

How do I check if a consultant really represents a developer?

Call the developer on the number from their official website and ask. Don't use contact details the consultant gives you.

Where can I complain about a fraudulent consultant?

The Karnataka RERA portal for registered projects and agents, the National Consumer Helpline for consumer issues, and the police if money's been taken. Get legal advice on which applies. Also see verifying RERA registration.

References

Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, official text hosted by Karnataka RERA (sections 9, 10, 12, 31 and 62). https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/resources/staticpage/Real_Estate_Act.pdf, accessed 15 Oct 2026.
Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, full text PDF (PRS Legislative Research). https://prsindia.org/files/bills_acts/acts_parliament/2016/the-real-estate-%28regulation-and-development%29-act,-2016.pdf, accessed 15 Oct 2026.
Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority, official portal (project status, agent status, complaints). https://rera.karnataka.gov.in, accessed 14 Oct 2026.
National Consumer Helpline, Department of Consumer Affairs. https://consumerhelpline.gov.in, accessed 15 Oct 2026.