District attorney’s office stops nearly $9 million in fraudulent property sales
San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow.
Ongoing scam targets local unencumbered undeveloped properties
– San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow is continuing to urge property owners and real estate professionals to beware of an ongoing scam targeting local unencumbered undeveloped properties. The office is set to launch a focused mailing campaign to warn potential victims.
The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office Real Estate Fraud Unit says it has been investigating the scam and working closely with real estate professionals to protect landowners from falling prey. The scheme involves thieves pretending to be property owners and contacting real estate agents and trying to sell land they do not own. Read the DA’s previous press release detailing the fraud here: District Attorney urges Real Estate professionals to be on alert for criminal fraud by thieves pretending to be property owners
To date, DA Investigators have successfully stopped nearly $9 million in fraudulent real estate sales within the county. Continuing this effort, the DA’s office says it is poised to launch a focused letter campaign warning owners of unencumbered undeveloped land within San Luis Obispo County and providing information on how to monitor and protect these properties.
Owners of undeveloped lots that do not have any encumbrances are encouraged to check their property address using a trusted real estate website such as Zillow or MLS (Multiple Listing Service) to determine if their property has been fraudulently listed for sale. Additionally, owners may conduct a property title search using the county clerk-recorder website official record search.
If you discover that your property has been fraudulently listed for sale or sold, contact District Attorney Senior Investigator Eric Vitale immediately at (805) 781-5868 or by email at evitale@co.slo.ca.us.
