While we don’t see all that much in the way of crime up this way, a property owner in our town nearly became a victim of a fraud scheme. By chance the property owner became aware of the scheme prior to the scammer being able to pull of their scam.
The target of the scam, a neighbor near my old domicile – The Manse – had come up to check on a house he owned and noticed there was a For Sale sign on an adjacent lot he also owned. He called the Realtor’s number on the sign and asked why their sign was on his property.
He was informed someone identifying as the property owner listed the property for immediate sale as they were having financial difficulties and needed to sell the property to raise funds. When he told the Realtor that he was the owner of the property and had no intention of selling it, he was told it was a good thing he had called when he did because there had already been offers on the property and a closing was imminent.
The supposed ‘owner’ – the scammer – called the Realtor from out of state and made all the arrangements for the sale and transfer of payment. The scammer had done their homework and knew a lot about the property in question as well as the next door property (with the house), and a lot about the actual property owner. (I have no doubt that if the the sale of the land had gone through without a hitch the scammer would have tried to sell the house next.)
It was only by chance the property owner found out about the impending theft of his property and was able to stop it.
The question begs “How many others have fallen victim to this kind of scam and didn’t find out until they found someone building a house on their property, or worse, occupying a home they owned?” I doubt my former neighbor is the only one who’s been a target of this kind of fraud here in New Hampshire and surrounding states.
