This is a good topic because I saw in one tv program the complaint of a property buyer that there are 2 titled owners of the property aside from him. The agent had sold the property to 3 buyers. For sure that can be resolved by the tv program. However, it is best to prevent such a situation when buying a property. Check with the assessor's office for the veracity of the owner's name and the title can also be checked if the contents are authentic. You have to meet the owner to make sure that the seller is the actual owner. A scammer will certainly produce a fake owner so you should ask for pertinent ID issued by the government.