How to Detect Fair Housing Scams and Fraud

Many people who purchase a house have great stories to tell about their experiences with sellers. However, there are those few who have reported fraud and crooked scams.
Recognizing Scams

Many fraud or scams involve the following:

• Proposed transaction involves the prospective buyer making a large down payment or deposit directly to the sales "agent"


• Proposed sales agent claims that they can approve your home loan if you put down a large deposit


• Proposed transaction involves fraudulent advertising

Types of Scams

Manufactured Homes and Deposits

Potential buyers respond to an advertisement offering a manufactured home for sale. Seller claims to work for a mortgage company or bank and can approve a home loan for you with little or no problems. The seller then asks the buyer to put down a large down payment. Once the payment is made, the seller runs off never to be seen again.

Mortgage Payments

Potential buyers respond to an advertisement to buy a house. A sales representative contacts you and gets a large deposit and approves you for a loan. You move into your new house and begin making payments to the sales representative who has not been forwarding your payments to the mortgage company or bank. Instead, the sales representative keeps the money, and the real mortgage company calls to inform you that you are in arrears in your mortgage payments.

If you believe you are a victim of this fraud, call your state's attorney general's office of consumer protection.

You have rights as a homeowner to do what it takes to keep the home you felt you legitimately purchased.

There are many forms of fraud going on nowadays. It is up to you to educate yourself on what is or is not legitimate. Hopefully, our advice will minimize your chances of becoming a victim of the crime of theft by deception.

Fabiola Castillo is an online marketer for the website NinjaCOPS.com. This virtual store specializes in personal defense products where you can buy the best pepper spray, kubaton keychains, hidden video cameras, cheap stun guns, nunchaku tricks videos, telescopic steel batons, and many other home security products.