A Kansas City man is speaking out after nearly falling victim to a real estate scam that almost cost him his property. Someone attempted to sell his land without his knowledge.
Tim Lefman, who owns undeveloped property in Johnson County, uncovered the fraud after a realtor reached out and realized the person claiming to sell the land wasn’t the actual owner.
“Very frustrated, very frustrated. Mostly because there is no real recourse if you have this happen to you,” Lefman said.
He had been holding onto the land for years, hoping to one day build his dream home, when the unexpected call came in.
“The reality that it was almost taken from me is pretty shocking,” he said.
According to Lefman, the scammer had convincing documents, including what looked like a legitimate driver’s license. He has since gathered evidence and reported the incident to authorities.
Local real estate professionals say scams like this are becoming more frequent.
Lauren Browne, a real estate agent and home builder, has seen similar schemes several times. She recommends watching for these red flags:
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The seller insists on virtual communication only
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They never visit the property
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They only use messaging apps to communicate
Browne also mentioned that some counties offer land sale alerts to help owners stay updated on any activity involving their property.
Lefman hopes that by sharing his experience, he can help prevent others from becoming victims.
“I’m glad it was stopped, but again, there is really little to nothing that keeps this from happening again,” he said.
After this close call, Lefman is now thinking about selling the land through a legitimate sale, especially since there’s been genuine interest from buyers.
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Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
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