03/21/2024
A note to my fellow REALTORS and a great awareness piece of information for property owners, including those who own undeveloped land:
There has been an alarming rise in real estate fraud related to vacant and unencumbered properties, as reported by the U.S. Secret Service and brokers in Delaware. Criminals pose as property owners, list properties below market value to attract interest, and prefer cash buyers for quick transactions. Notably, all communication occurs electronically and with fake, but very real looking IDs.
To protect yourself and your clients, please:
• Independently verify the identity of property sellers.
• Request to see sellers' government-issued identification during a virtual or in-person meeting.
• Be cautious of offers accepted below market value for quick, cash transactions.
• Insist on using trusted attorneys for closing.
For a comprehensive understanding of these scams, please refer to the documents provided by the United States Secret Service and American Land Title Association.
We strongly recommend advising your clients to embrace the power of modern technology through deed recording/reporting software. This innovative solution offers a proactive approach to safeguarding their real estate investments and minimizing the risk of property theft.
Should any unauthorized attempts to alter or transfer property deeds occur, the system provided by the Recorder of Deeds in each county will promptly alert your clients, allowing them to take swift action.
You can find the alert systems for each county here:
New Castle County: https://www.newcastlede.gov/2398/AlertMe
Kent County: https://pfa.uslandrecords.com/Default.aspx
Sussex County: https://sussexcountyde.gov/deed-fraud-alert
Deed Fraud Prevention Initiative We strongly recommend that all property owners sign up for the Recording Activity Notification Service. This is a free service offered through Landmark. Legal Disclaimer The Sussex County Recorder of Deeds Office utilizes the Recording Activity Notification Service t...