How can I make sure I don't get scammed?

[David Park]

I've just finished reading the popular books (The book on Rental Property Investing, Long-distance Real Estate Investing, etc.) and I'm ready to start investing out of state with $100,000.

I want to buy homes with cash, but I want to make sure I don't lose money from getting scammed. A situation I'm imagining is my agent running off with my money, not getting a clean title, etc. I'm currently looking for reputable agents in the areas I'm trying to find deals in, but what other steps should I take to make sure that I don't wire my money to a scammer agent or title company?

I'm "okay" with losing money from business mistakes (e.g. contractor overcharging me), but getting scammed is the one thing I want to avoid at all cost. Any advice would be appreciated!