The Hidden Threat to Your Home: Real Estate Scams Exposed!

By Mark Callender

Hello, my name is Mark Callender and I am a licensed real estate agent with RE/MAX Results. Because I have been helping families buy and sell their homes for more than 18 years, I am now helping their children to buy their first homes and their parents to downsize. No matter the direction you’re moving, my goal is to make the process as calm and enjoyable as it can be.

Today, I want to address a common scam that often targets new homeowners shortly after they close on their homes. Typically, around one to two months after your home purchase, you may receive a suspicious-looking piece of mail. This issue is significant enough that I regularly receive calls from buyers who have faced this situation in the past year. Some recognize the scam for what it is, while others fall victim to it. Surprisingly, about 20% of these individuals actually end up sending money to the scammers.

Let me break down what this scam entails. You’ll receive what appears to be an official document in the mail, like the one I have here at 0:49 in the video. It may claim to be from an organization like “City of Minneapolis Property Records” and provide an address, such as 2801 Hennepin Avenue South. The document will likely ask you to send money or call for a copy of your deed. Here’s the catch: after you close on your home, you’ll already have a copy of your deed.

I’ve received two such invoices from the same buyer last summer, one claiming to be from Corona, California, and the other from Minneapolis. It’s important to note that these letters do not require a response. In fact, one of them explicitly states that “Property Records” is not affiliated with the county where your deed is filed or any government agencies, even though it comes with the City of Minneapolis’ address.

<div class="pullquote">“The document will likely ask you to send money or call for a copy of your deed.”</div>

I investigated the address mentioned in one of these scam letters, 2801 Hennepin Avenue South in Minneapolis, and found that it houses around 35 different businesses, none of which are related to property records. There’s a hair stylist and a Potbelly sandwich shop, among others.

Whether you are my client or not, if you encounter any similar situations or suspect a scam, please give me a call. I’m here to assist. Let’s protect ourselves and others from falling victim to these scams.