The realtor warned about new schemes of fraud with real estate

Digitalization of transactions has not only simplified the process of buying and selling real estate, but also opened up new opportunities for intruders. On July 22, real estate expert and realtor Lesya Tvelina told Izvestia about the most dangerous fraud schemes that can deprive citizens of their homes.

One of the most common schemes, the specialist explained, remains the sale of apartments using forged powers of attorney. Outwardly, all the documents may look perfect, and the transaction is registered in the Federal Register, but after a few months or years it turns out that the real owner did not consent to the sale. Such actions fall under Article 327 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on forgery of documents and may become grounds for challenging the transfer of ownership.

"Transactions involving socially vulnerable citizens, such as the homeless, pensioners or people with addictions, are particularly dangerous. Fraudsters force them to issue power of attorney or enter into transactions on their behalf, which subsequently leads to lengthy court proceedings," the expert said.

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Tvelina also warned against contacting pseudo-unionists who promise to quickly resolve housing disputes. In practice, such "specialists" often involve clients in fraudulent schemes, offering to "sue" the apartment from the developer for a percentage or challenge the purchase agreement.

Transactions involving minors, incapacitated persons, or heirs constitute a separate risk category. The expert gave examples when, after the death of the owner, the heirs entered into the rights with violations, without notifying other potential applicants. In such cases, courts often cancel earlier transactions.

To minimize risks, Tvelina recommends carefully checking the history of the facility through an extract from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities, making sure that there are no minors registered in the apartment, checking the seller for debts or limitations in legal capacity, and registering an encumbrance on ownership rights for additional protection.

"The state is strengthening control over real estate transactions, but the main protection is your vigilance. Do not trust questionable consultants and always check the documents," warned the realtor.

According to her, legal literacy and caution remain the main tools to protect against fraudsters.

On June 29, the Russian Interior Ministry reported on popular fraud schemes through payment platforms. The most common are the creation by fraudsters of copies of popular online stores, the use of legal real estate sites to redirect victims to fake sites using personal messages, as well as the use of fake sites and Telegram bots to deceive under the pretext of selling goods and services.