SANTO DOMINGO – As times change, the methods used to commit crimes are evolving. It is common in Dominican society to hear, within families or social circles, about the new techniques criminals have developed to commit misdeeds.
The world of real estate transactions is not immune to this reality, and although in most cases the situation does not reach the public sphere, there are many instances of illegal activity that require real estate agents to take constant precautions against this reality.
“Fake documents such as titles, ID cards, and powers of attorney. Another type involves showing mostly empty properties for rent or sale and then disappearing. Also, making multiple sales or rentals of the same property to several clients,” are some of the tricks used and faced by real estate agents, says Elizabeth Martínez of Remax Metropolitana.
Like Martínez, Tony Galvez clarifies that he hasn't personally experienced any scams, although he details some of the most common types he knows: “In the case of scams targeting clients, the criminal rents a luxury apartment using false documents and then sells it cheaply, also using false documents. He pressures the buyer, claiming there are other interested parties, to reserve the apartment and then swindles them out of thousands of dollars. He scams both the owner and the person who thinks they've bought a great deal. He repeats the sale several times with different people,” he explains.
“Personally, I haven’t had the experience of being taken advantage of, even though I know it happens. I have a protocol for everything and I try not to break them with anyone… Not even with family or friends,” says veteran Teresa Pérez (Doña Tere).
Annies Gómez, CEO of Houselink, points out that she has experienced cases of clients who have called to be shown properties and has learned through colleagues that these are networks that visit the property to identify existing assets in order to later commit illegal acts.
“I experienced a case, for example, where the same people were looking at properties of different levels in different areas, and after we showed them, we realized that they had done the same thing with many colleagues, and it was precisely to locate, to see what the property possessed and who lived in it; there were always three or four people,” recounts the Houselink executive.
“I know of a case involving a very close friend, whose name I will withhold, where a client forged documents for someone who rented a furnished property, and they sold the property. Now they are in the middle of a legal process and facing eviction because the person to whom the criminals supposedly sold the property is still living there. Incidentally, we had that client reported to the office six months ago as someone who was looking for a property,” Gómez says.
He adds that one detail to consider is when people go to see a property and suddenly change their phone number, but send a "brother" to see it. In these situations, he says, the agent must be vigilant and identify their intentions.
Maika Maldonado, from Premium Real Estate, had an experience renting a house in the Bella Vista area when someone took the information from the sign and set a price well below market value, defrauding several couples.
"What the scammers did was bring a locksmith and change the lock.".
Another case Maldonado refers to was that of a couple of alleged pastors who came to the country to buy a penthouse and after several failed attempts to scam her in her role as a real estate advisor, with various arguments, they disappeared from the hotel where they were staying.
“The same thing happened to me: a young man, trying to win over a girl, went to show her the property, and we completed all the paperwork for the contract. After spending the weekend together, the young woman came to our office, but he never answered the phone. In the end, we realized it was a trick to spend the weekend with her.”.
