Fraudsters sell someone elses house using fake ID

BigAunty

Police are hunting for two fraudsters who pocketed £50,000 by selling someone else’s house.


The two men put the terraced home in Exhall, Warwickshire, on the market through a specialist agency and managed to complete a sale using fake driving licences.



Their scam was only uncovered when the Land Registry looked at the sale and found out that the names on the two IDs - of the man and woman who actually owned the house - did not match the photos, which were of two men.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2712145/Hunt-fraudsters-50-000-selling-elses-house.html

The article says Police believe it's the first time this type of scam has been used on property but I remember another property that was sold a few years ago by a tenant when the owner was overseas.

jaybeetoo

http://www.landregistry.gov.uk/public/property-fraud

booksurr

and is why the official land registry rep who haunts these boards encourages you to sign up for the (free) property alert service

see his message here:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5018114

G_M

booksurr wrote: »

and is why the official land registry rep who haunts these boards encourages you to sign up for the (free) property alert service

see his message here:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5018114

I always imagine (s)he's an individual, but actually suspect they get drafted on a rota basis to monitor this (and other?) forums.

Hey rep! Is it always the same you, or do you have a team of mates.....? Just interested.

harrys_dad

G_M wrote: »

I always imagine (s)he's an individual, but actually suspect they get drafted on a rota basis to monitor this (and other?) forums.

Hey rep! Is it always the same you, or do you have a team of mates.....? Just interested.

You are also here really often G_M, and offer such great advice, are you a team too or just a bored old git like me?

Land_Registry

Morning all.

You're pretty much right in your supposition, G_M. Land Registry representative is usually one person, but when they're not available a colleague steps in. Like today. As for haunting MSE, I hope we're regarded as a useful/friendly ghost rather than anything scarier.

Thank you jaybeetoo and booksurr for signposting our links. Our Property Alert service is a free and easy way of keeping properties more secure from fraud.

G_M

harrys_dad wrote: »

You are also here really often G_M, and offer such great advice, are you a team too or just a bored old git like me?

OK, we'll come clean.

We are actually a subversive sub-group of mumsnet members dedicated to the destruction of rival forums, including 'moneysavingexpert'.

Around 3 out of 5 of our posts include deliberately misleading or downright erroneous advice, the aim being to undermine faith in the 'moneysavingexpert' forum, and get people to seek an alternative forum, like.... errrr,.... let me think now....

"G_M" stands for "Go! Mumsnet!"