The El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office has become aware of a growing number of real estate transaction fraud cases in which the perpetrator—often located outside the country—contacts a local real estate agent to request the listing of real property. Most notably, there has been a dramatic increase in real estate fraud involving vacant land in areas such as South Lake Tahoe, Georgetown, Placerville, and Grizzly Flats. Additionally, several incidents have involved single-family homes across the county. In one case, the Internet Protocol (IP) address of a perpetrator was traced to Panama.
In response, the District Attorney’s Office is not only warning the public but also maintaining regular communication with the County Recorder and working to raise awareness among local real estate agents, escrow officers, and title companies. These professionals are being urged to take extra steps to verify the identity of property owners before agreeing to list property, open escrow, or prepare or file documents that initiate or request changes to a property’s title.
The District Attorney’s Office, in close partnership with the County Recorder, is also working to fully implement a notification system that alerts property owners of attempts to change—or actual changes to—their property title. This will ensure that owners receive early notice prior to the filing or recording of documents.
If you notice a “For Sale” sign appear on a neighbor’s land and it seems out of place or suspicious, please check with them directly to confirm whether they are actually selling the property. Detecting fraudulent transactions early is the best way to prevent a fraudulent sale from occurring!
If you become a victim of such a scam or become aware of one you can file a fraud report with the District Attorney’s Office. A link to the District Attorney’s fraud form submission is provided below:
https://www.eldoradoda.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/FraudComplaint.pdf
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