Real Estate Investment Scams: Steps to avoid and protect yourself

Nowadays, people generally opt for real estate investments rather than or along with digital currencies such as stocks, bonds, cryptocurrency, and much more. Real estate investment refers to the purchase, ownership, management, rental, and/or sale of real estate properties with the goal of generating income or achieving long-term financial gain. Real estate investment scams can happen in various forms related to residential properties, commercial properties, vacant land, industrial buildings, and more.

Property investment can be a profitable venture, as it offers a range of potential benefits such as rental income, appreciation in property value, tax advantages, and diversification of investment portfolios. However, it also comes with its own set of risks, such as economic downturns, changes in interest rates, and property management issues.

Real estate scams are fraudulent techniques that are used to lure and convince potential victims to invest in property that, in reality, is fraudulent or doesn’t exist.

How does a Real Estate investment scam work?

Real estate investment scams are fraudulent techniques used by scammers to lure you to invest in property and acquire sensitive information, which includes personal and financial information. Scammers use several techniques, such as sending phishing emails, using high-sales techniques, providing too-good-to-be-true offers with little to no risk, and much more.

Most of the time, scammers undertake real estate investment scams online, which don’t include meeting the target victim in person and acquiring sensitive information fraudulently. Due to the increase in modern and cutting-edge technology, it gets easier for them to use malware software to lure them into giving out information.

However, the main aim of a scammer is to acquire sensitive information from you and impersonate it in further fraudulent activities.

Common types of Real Estate Investment scams – 

There are several kinds of fraudulent techniques used by scammers to lure victims; listed below are some of the most common, of which one should be careful:

• Investor fraud – This type of real estate investment scam involves swindling investors out of their money through false pretences or exaggerations of investment opportunities. Moreover, investors may be lured in with promises of high returns with little to no risk, only to discover later that the investment opportunity was deceptive.

• Clever investor scam – The Clever Investor program is referred to as an authorised real estate investment training course, but scammers use the name and impersonate it to mislead investors into paying for fraudulent sessions or coaching services. Also, real estate scams occur not only from the broker’s side, but also from investors or homebuyers, where scammers impersonate and perform fraudulent transactions.

• Report investment scams – If you believe that you have been the victim of a real estate investment scam, it’s important to report it to the legal authorities, such as local police or law enforcement. By adhering to these officials, they can help prevent you from falling victim to the same scam and might help you recover some of your financial losses.

• Land investing online – This is a type of scam, where scammers curate and bestow fraudulent websites on their potential victims that offer land for sale at prices that are too good to be true. The scammer also asks for payment upfront, through which they can disappear, leaving the investor with no land, money, or any kind of resource.

• Digital real estate is a scam – Some scammers claim to sell digital real estate, such as virtual land or cryptocurrency, that does not actually exist. Scammers lure property investors by promising high returns and an increase in value with time, which in reality doesn’t exist, but it is a deceptive technique performed by a scammer to make them disappear with their money.

• Real estate investment coach – Various scammers adhere to this misleading technique by posing as real estate investment coaches and charging high fees, claiming to provide guaranteed returns for their services. They also promise to provide insider knowledge and expertise to help you succeed, although in reality they provide little to no value or even provide inaccurate details about the property.

How do you avoid Real Estate investment scams?

Real estate investment scams can end up being imperishable, although to avoid such schemes, mentioned below are a few tips one should follow:

1. Avoid an offer provided by scammers posing as a real estate broker or homeowner that describes high returns with little to no risk. Implementing a legitimate investment plan will always involve some sort of risk and might not always provide profits at a given time.

1. Avoid connecting to brokers that provide a magnifying offer and provide minimal time to make a decision by assuming the offer stands for a short period of time. Scammers often use such high-sales tactics to lure their potential victims.

1. Avoid an offer where a broker or homeowner doesn’t provide you with the agreement in writing and consolidate it over a phone call or maybe a video call. A legitimate broker would provide you with all the paperwork and documentation on the handover day.

1. Avoid associating with a broker online that is offering property listings that sound too good to be true. Scammers often create a fake website that looks legitimate and lavish to attract customers and defraud them.

1. Refrain from entering the real estate sector without acquiring any knowledge about the property and its characteristics. Scammers often take advantage of investors who are novices in the market and confine them to giving personal and financial information.

How do you protect yourself from the Real Estate investment scams?

Real estate investment scams have been surging to their peak; it is imperative to abide by security steps. Mentioned below are some of the most common tips to protect yourself from Real Estate investment scams:

1. Before investing in any real estate opportunity, research the investment opportunity and the individuals or companies involved in the process. Look for reviews and testimonials from other investors, and determine whether the investment opportunity is legitimate or not.

1. Refrain from providing sensitive information, such as personal and financial details, to the potential real estate broker or homebuyer without agreeing to the deal.

1. Do not provide any upfront payment to the broker or homeowner that claims to provide you with property in a posh locality with surreal infrastructure. Scammers use this technique to lure their clients.

1. Adhere to reputable real estate brokers, or firms that they are expressly associated with. Scammers often pose as legitimate real estate firms or exchanges, lure victims into fraudulent tactics, and steal their money.

1. If you receive an offer that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Always trust your instincts, and don’t be afraid to back off from a real estate investment opportunity if it doesn’t feel right.

Frequently asked questions

Conclusion

Real estate investments can bring you considerable profits, but persisting with deceptive offers can end up costing you money and even sensitive information, if any. However, it is imperative for a realty investor to do market research and look for the best results that suit their investment goals. Moreover, you can also associate with legitimate brokers or homebuyers by scrutinising them online through reviews, ratings, and feedback that they have received from their past sales or the process of doing so. Particularly, it is important for a novice investor to be aware of such fraudulent techniques and stay vigilant. By abiding by these strategies, you can protect yourself from falling victim to real estate investment scams.