Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) because of their number and the fact that most of them have the resources to invest in various ventures are the target of most businessmen and industries nowadays. Unfortunately, so are the scammers.

Owning a house and lot is the ultimate dream of most Filipinos and OFWs who toiled for years abroad usually save their monbey to be able to acquire a property they can call their own. Scammers Knows this too well so aside from bogus investment schemes like FrancSwiss scam, Ponzi Schemes, etc.; a scam that victimized would-be landonwers also exist and this is called Housing Scam.

In the housing scam, scammers pretend to be legal real estate brokers and offer real estate properties that doesn't exist (e.g. house and lot, condominims, farm lands, etc.) to clueless OFWs. Most scammers in the need to earn big money fast reportedly offer properties around Quezon City area that are not really for sale by the owner or sell lots that are yet to be developed at a very low price to lure prospective victims.

To convince possible buyers, housing scammers used fake land titles in negotiating with prospective victims. Fake land titles abound in Quezon City because an anomalous fire at the Quezon City Hall in 1988 destroyed landtitles.

How Do House Scammers Operate

• Fake brochures and pictures in print or in the web are presented to possible victims.
• They impress big time clients by posing as big time brokers. There are situations where a property is shown via a helicopter ride . In a pre-developed property, scammers rent construction equipments like trucks, bull-dozers, etc. to make it appear like the place is undergoing development.
• An endorsement from a showbiz personality is sometimes used by scammers.
• House scammers targets OFWs because they can present the property on sale using only a brochure or picture. Since they are not in the country, it is more dificut for OFWs to check if the land title is authentic or if the property reall exist.
• To increase credibility, Google Earth is sometimes used by big time and sophisticated scammers to point the approximate location of the property being offrered.

How to Avoid Being a Victim

• Do a background investigation of the property you wish to buy. Research the history of the property, who owns it, why is it for sale, etc.) Check if it the seller is really the owner of the property or if not if the owner is really selling it.
• Check if the notice that a property is being sold is open to the general public. If you cannot se any advertisemt elsewhere that it is for sale, then it's time to get suspicious.
• Make sure that you have seen and set foot in the property being sold before purchasing it.
• Check if the property being sold is under “contestation”. If it is, then don't buy it.
• Before buying a property, verify the land title firstand consult with proper government agencies to ensure that the title is authentic.
• In looking for a property to buy, do not rely on brochures or websites. You have to see the actual property first.
• Do a research about the developer or company selling the property.Check with the Securites and Exchange Commission (SEC) if they are authorized to sell property and if they are the real owner of the property.
• For any legal concersn that you do not fully undesrtand, seek the assistance of a legal lawyer.