Vacant Land Scam

Dear Phyllis,
I have been following your real
estate advice for years. I wanted
to share a recent experience that I
had to warn your readers. At the
beginning of the year, I looked for
land in Victorville since I have one
of my businesses there. I found
a property and made an offer.
While in escrow, I found a better
opportunity and canceled the first
deal. I closed escrow on the new
property in January and thought I
had made a great investment. Fast-
forward to April.

I received a letter
from the Title Company notifying
me of the fraudulent purchase. I
immediately called their attorney,
thinking this had to be a mistake,
but unfortunately, it wasn’t.
While I’m still unsure who
scammed me, I worked through the
listing agent, who claimed to know
the out-of-state seller personally.

The Title Company did reimburse
me for the cost of the land, but
I’m out $4,000–$5,000 in property
taxes and closing costs. In the
future, how can this vacant land
scam be avoided?
— Burned in the High Desert

Dear Burned in the High Desert,
Thank you for sharing your
story. I’m so sorry this happened
to you. Unfortunately, out-of-area
vacant land scams are becoming
more common. To protect yourself
and others in the future, here are
a few key steps every buyer should
take:

1. The Seller’s Identity Should be
Confirmed
Make sure that the Realtor
verifies the “seller” through public
records. Then verify the “seller”
through a photo ID.

2. Be Leary of DocuSign
The listing agent should confirm
the “seller” address noted on
public records. Scammers often
create fake email addresses and
phone numbers. Always contact the
property owner using the address
noted on public records.

3. Ask Your Agent to Verify
Everything

A great Realtor should go beyond
surface details. Find out how the
listing agent knows the “seller.”
Request that title records be
checked and ask the Escrow Officer
to check signatures if possible.

Warm regards,
Phyllis