Buying and Selling real estate is a great way to produce wealth for you and your family.  However, it is also a breeding ground for scam artists.  They prey on the naive and the trusting.  So, watch out and work with a respected Realtor with whom you have researched and checked some references...like me  :)

Real estate fraud has historically proved to be a reliable--if criminal--source of income for many a sophisticated flimflam artist. (Anyone want to buy the Brooklyn Bridge or swampland in Florida?) Given the fact that people have poured much money into real estate over the last few years, it seems an obvious market in which fraudsters would play--especially considering the volume of activity.

Most cases revolve around forged deeds, or sales of developments and properties, or trusts, that don't exist. Oftentimes, real estate scams don't hurt property owners as much as they hit insurers and mortgage lenders. (There are thousands of cases of real estate professionals obtaining phony appraisals of property and taking out multiple loans on the home or land before the lender catches on.)

But there are still plenty of ways the homeowner can be taken advantage of, too.

It may not just be family members, either. A large percentage of real estate fraud is perpetrated by trusted individuals whom victims know socially or have already done business with in the past. People are often impressed by shows of affluence--a self-confident person with a beautiful car who is selling a product that seems too complicated to understand and too good to be true.  The best way to avoid getting taken by such schemes, may be common sense, but it often gets forgotten: Avoid investment deals that are overwhelmingly complex and offer outrageous returns.

So, in conclusion, be wary, be wise, and call me  :)  I wish you a wonderful day and would be honored to answer any questions you may have on this topic.  Don't be worried, just be informed.