Down Payment Fraud In Real Estate Ads!

The fraudsters who make false advertisements on their websites by showing the immovables that do not belong to them as their own, continue to victimize citizens.

Hakan Akdoğan, President of All Entrepreneurial Real Estate Consultants Association (TÜGEM), who drew attention to the advertisements given by the owners in many different types of real estate from rental flats to land for sale, said: “Fraudsters enter advertisements at much lower prices than the market by copying the pictures in other advertisements or by requesting the original pictures from their real owners. These fake advertisements are published on portals that are not subject to any regulation and control. On the other hand, money is collected for the seeking citizens with the lies that there are many suitors of the immovable property, that it can be sold or rented out to someone else if the deposit is not sent. Later, these people cannot be reached again, ”he said.

He collected thousands of pounds

Stating that the last grievance was experienced in İzmir, Akdoğan said, “An unidentified person who put up the land belonging to someone else for sale on the internet at a price much lower than its value got lost in just ten hours by taking a deposit of thousands of liras from twenty-five people. Similar to this issue is experienced almost every day in rental apartments. Both furnished and vacant flats are posted and payments are made, but these people cannot be reached again. In fact, it should be avoided from the postings that are given cheap, at the weekend and newly entered, new memberships. A real estate professional should be consulted, ”he said.

'It should be checked'

TUGEM President Hakan Akdoğan stated that the grievances regarding the issue can be solved with some regulations that can be made by the Ministry of Commerce. “Some control conditions must be imposed for the postings entered by the owner. For example, is the advertiser really the owner of the real estate? This control can be provided by web deed portal integration. In addition, the name, surname and identity information of the advertisers can be integrated with the e-government system. Control systems can be developed with operators regarding phone number and ownership. Fixed number obligations may be imposed, ”he said.

Choose certificates of authorization

Stating that real estate enterprises have many obligations within the scope of the Regulation on Real Estate Trade, Hakan Akdoğan said, “You can prevent possible grievances by choosing real estate businesses with authorization certificates in your real estate transactions. These businesses control all processes from start to finish and mediate transactions. They take the title deed sample and the power of attorney, if any, from the business owners within the framework of the authorization agreement. They carry out all the controls from zoning, encumbrance, tax debt and value. "Our advice to consumers is that while making the most important decision in their lives, they should not make a decision without consulting real estate businesses."