LOS ANGELES, CA – With the rise of the Internet and a competitive online housing market real estate scams have unfortunately become extremely easy for crooks and common. Homebuyers and home sellers are not the only ones being affected by scams; renters and landlords are also victims. The Local Records Office in Bellflower, CA created a list of the most common housing market rip-offs and how to protect your assets.
Wire Money Rip-Offs
Crooks have gotten so good with online scams that a fake email will look like an authentic email that was sent from a bank or real estate agent. The email will usually have a link to an offshore account and if you wire your down payment for what you thought was your house you will be out of thousands of dollars in seconds.
How to Avoid: The best way to avoid being a victim of the wire scam is to make sure you follow the instructions of the real estate agent on how the payment should be made and how.
Keep in mind that talking to a lawyer is also a great idea since he or she will walk you through the process.
Local Records Office says, “Don’t send money without confirming first who the other person on the other side is, the sophisticated ways scammers are using are incredible.”
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