Real estate agents put on alert after WA fraud case

Real estate agents have been given an official warning to be on high alert for property scams by Attorney-General Simon Corbell after three people were arrested by South African Police over an attempted fraudulent sale of a Western Australian home.

Corbell, who said that it was one of the most serious types of scam, is calling for real estate agents to be on their guard.

"A property scam can result in a home being sold without the lawful owner's knowledge or permission. This type of scam traditionally occurs when the owner lives or is travelling overseas," Corbell said.

"Many professionals apart from those in the real estate industry are involved when a property is sold.”

Each of those professionals must be diligent in checking details, particularly when dealing with overseas transactions, he said.

"Independently confirm any change in contact details for the properties you manage to ensure you are dealing with the real owner.  Signatures should be checked with originals on file.  Have any doubtful documents verified by the issuing authority.”

"Home owners, particularly absentee owners, are also warned to be vigilant.  Have suitable protocols in place, for example, security questions, to prevent the possibility of your home being sold without your knowledge or permission."

Three people were arrested in Johannesburg earlier in the month following a five months investigation by the Major Fraud Squad of the Western Australia Police.

The trio allegedly emailed a Mandurah real estate agency, which was managing a property owned by a South African person, pretending to be the owner and managed to convince the agency to change the owner’s contact details to their own.

Forged signatures were used, and the property was put on the market before an offer being accepted by the trio.