BEWARE Real Estate Scams

[DougGuy]

I just saw on our news where property in Raleigh was listed for sale on Zillow, the scammer had stolen the actual property owner's identity, faked his DL the listing looked totally legit, and the scammer was SO close to taking one of the multiple offers that were made on the property. Another real estate agent got in on it b/c she had some clients who wanted to buy it as well. Meanwhile the owner of the property FOUND it listed on Zillow! He contacted the sheriff's office, and Zilliw, got the listing taken off Zillow and the sheriff told him to contact the FBI. Come to find out, the scammer is somewhere in Africa..

They didn't succeed with this scam, but they were VERY close to pulling it off. Had the property owner not happened to see his property listed, it would probably have been a done deal.

[JimB..]

I just saw on our news where property in Raleigh was listed for sale on Zillow, the scammer had stolen the actual property owner's identity, faked his DL the listing looked totally legit, and the scammer was SO close to taking one of the multiple offers that were made on the property. Another real estate agent got in on it b/c she had some clients who wanted to buy it as well. Meanwhile the owner of the property FOUND it listed on Zillow! He contacted the sheriff's office, and Zilliw, got the listing taken off Zillow and the sheriff told him to contact the FBI. Come to find out, the scammer is somewhere in Africa..

They didn't succeed with this scam, but they were VERY close to pulling it off. Had the property owner not happened to see his property listed, it would probably have been a done deal.

News reporting sucks. Deal would never have closed, and even if it did the buyer wouldn’t have a valid claim on the property. It’d suck to sort out, but you aren’t going to lose your property this way. The scam is to obtain earnest money from as many people as possible, not to accept one offer, but to accept 5 or more concurrently and get 10% earnest money from each. There was a rash of this in CA a few years ago, it happens when the market gets frothy and folks are bidding up properties and trying to move so fast that they don’t complete certain diligence before wiring funds to an “escrow agent” that doesn’t sound familiar.

[Land Owner]

I got a call in October from a Real Estate Agent in an adjacent County asking if my rural property was for sale. I said, "No!" and promptly hung up. The Agent immediately sent me a text that someone was perpetrating Identify Theft and attempting to sell my property for $0.10 on the dollar, would not give more than a first name, and these "clues" made the Agent suspicious.

I contacted the Sheriff who contacted the Agent who the Sheriff informed me is a legitimate businessman, so I apologized to the Agent for being rude and hanging up on him. The Agent said he believed the Perp would continue to search for an unscrupulous listing Agent in the attempt to scam someone into "purchasing" my land and the Sheriff said there was little to nothing I could do to prevent it.

I went on Zillow, registered my property, and posted NOT FOR SALE online. I informed Invited Guests to BOLO for suspicious activity (as usual) and especially any trespasser that "claims" to be the land's "new" owner, at which time my Guest should try to take video or photos, note their vehicle license plate, dial 9-1-1, ask for the Sheriff (who has been informed), and then call me in short succession. As always in the heat of the moment, if a trespasser(s) becomes belligerent or toxic, be prepared to react to the situation.

The trespasser, their Real Estate Agent, the Closing Agent, the Perp (if found), the money launderer, and everyone participating in the felonious "sale" are going to the Court House to get a hard dose of reality. I do not want it to come to that, but my options at this time are limited.

[snowwolfe]

A person would have to be extremely stupid to read an ad such as this and honestly expect to buy the property.
If they get scammed out of their money they deserve it.

[la5676]

Craigslist is full of these guys. List items in a local ad, but it always happens to be crated up ready to ship in Houston. I recently replied to Deere compact tractor ad with lots of attachments, including a backhoe, for a redickerously low price. I had inspection rights and return rights for 7 days after I received it, after only paying for shipping fees. Yeah, right.

[super6]

There was a old scam back in the 60s, Rent a apartment and re rent to several people, Get first and last rent and be on your way! People are getting more clever buy the day.

[frkelly74]

I think the idea was not to sell the actual property but to collect a deposit from a prospective buyer and then disappear. I think the property in question is not in very much danger but the buyer would be the true victim. I have seen adds with this theme on Craigs List and FB marketplace. Buyer beware.

[MT Gianni]

I get 3-4 postcards a month during summer and 1-2 in winter from agents wanting me to sell my rural property. All claim to have buyers and the agents area codes range from Kalispell, MT, to California and Texas. I just trash them.

[JoeJames]

I've done more than my share of Real property closings over the years. Generally I know the sellers, but I get ID, and if I don't, I get ID. Further, in a normal transaction I would obtain Title Insurance for the buyers. Course this is rural Delta Arkansas.

[Handloader109]

If you see ANYTHING on Craigslist or fakebook marketplace listed really cheap it is a scam. Wife saw a 4 wheeler on fb a while back. No phone no real email, but was supposedly trying to sell 10 cents on the dollar. Was listed in about 10 different cities.... scam.
These guys just will be wanting 5 or 10% of the land value for earnest money, wire to them... sure thing.

There have been many folks that have been scammed by fake real estate folks. Scam is you are actually buying a home. (Shows pending so scammer can figure out the real estate agent) that person's email is hacked and then a few days before actual closing the scammer sends the buyer an email with where to wire the down payment before closing date. It is a fake email address, but close enough. Money wired and money rewired to overseas account( usually) and is gone. Hundreds of thousands gone in some cases.....

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[farmbif]

I think public hangings in front of the courthouse needs to be brought back as punishment for many crimes, not just horse theft.

[barnetmill]

I have no interest in selling my land or home, but apparently there are realtors that unbeknownst to me are interested in it.
When I was last Nov voting I was giving my address to the poll worker prior to getting a ballot and someone I never knew asked me about my property indicating he was a realtor. The value of that property is 5 times more than I paid for it.

[Rich/WIS]

Have had several unsolicited offers to sell some vacant land I own, checked and company was in MT. Also called the courthouse to find out how
they got the tax parcel #. Seems tax records are public records and anyone can look them up. Possible I was targeted because I now live in KY and the land is in WI.

[Baltimoreed]

I have no problem with adult corporal punishment. The only way you can get some peoples attention is to hurt them. I remember the outrage when American teenage vandalized property in Japan and were caned. I’ll bet they never vandalized anything anywhere again.

[Shurshot2]

How about verified IP providers where posters are not anonymous ?

[Silvercreek Farmer]

I've done more than my share of Real property closings over the years. Generally I know the sellers, but I get ID, and if I don't, I get ID. Further, in a normal transaction I would obtain Title Insurance for the buyers. Course this is rural Delta Arkansas.

Yes, always get title insurance.

[ulav8r]

My mother started getting offers to buy part of her land years ago. The last one, about a week ago stated they had gotten the information from public records. All of the offers have been for about twice what my parents paid for it over 70 years ago. Such a deal!

[gwpercle]

I recently watched on TV an advertisement for insurance you can buy ... this " insurance company" keeps track of your property(ies) and notifies you of any listing / selling activities .
I got the impression they swoop down and stop the illegal sale of your property but my gut feeling (the tiny print went by too fast) is they just notify you of any transaction and you get to do all the real work to stop it .

This couple comes on telling how their house was nearly sold and if it hadn't been for this company notifying them ... they would be on the streets ..."Free Range " aka Homeless !

Gary

[Zbench]

This is serious business, but I'd like to raise the mood a bit and offer some hilarity for the start of the New Year. I'm sure everyone knows about the scam that originated in Nigeria where some poor widow is trying to convince you to administer her dead husband's multi-million dollar estate here in the US, you just have to pay legal fees or some such nonsense. It's called a "419 Scam" named for section 419 of the Nigerian legal code which defines such scams.

Well, there is an enterprising group of people who call themselves "Scam Baiters" who enjoy toying with these bottom dwellers. Most are IT professionals who know how to stay anonymous but love to toy with these folks in Nigeria from afar. Their favorite method of revenge is to engage the scammer like they are going to fall for it, but in the process get them to take pictures of themselves in ever more increasingly ridiculous ways to prove that they are "real".

There is a site you can visit here (https://www.419eater.com/html/trophy_room.htm) which is the best of the best. If you want a laugh, visit the trophy room and behold some of the best of these. Most are pictures of the scammer posing with a poster that they were directed to make. I've been going back for years and it never ceases to cause me to laugh out loud.

For your amusement.

[john.k]

I get the real estate rubbish all the time.......most from licensed agents......one (fat) woman handed me a contract in the front yard with all sorts of crazy conditions ,like I clean up all the junk..........i just dropped it in the bin in front of her........the guy owns the Macs next door has offered me whatever I want ,walk in walk out........downside is crazy property values means land tax I cant pay.......worry about that later.

[Land Owner]

If I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times,

Having seen it perpetrated against others, I have worried since my youth that one day I too would awaken in Florida to the realization as a Native that I will no longer be able to afford the taxes on my "inflated value" real estate. The last remnants of Old Florida were "priced out" of Sanibel Island by the Uber Rich, who bought land there at rapidly inflating values, such that the ensuing tax burden became too steep for the Old Florida landowners. Yes, they "cashed out", but that wasn't what they wanted because that meant moving from the island they had called home for generations.

When you are completely invested in the land, retired or on fixed income, and hanging on by your fingernails, your "All In" could be mere "pocket change" to another.