Absentee Macgregor landlord loses ACT home to South African fraudster

ACT police are investigating a real estate fraud after a Canberra home sold without the consent of the absentee landlord home owner.

The real estate scam at Macgregor has all the hallmarks of prior fraudulent sales by overseas fraudsters.

The owner, living in South Africa, discovered the north side house had been sold after contacting her local ACT property manager as she had not receive the past four rental payments. 

ACT Police has taken control of the investigation in consultation with police in South Africa. 

"Police will investigate a series of exchanges which led to the sale of the property without the owner’s knowledge or consent, and the disbursement of the funds generated by the deception," the statement said.

The ACT Attorney General Simon Corbell has warned home owners to be vigilant of scammers.

The details of the Macgregor scam have not been publicly released, but Property Observer notes sales over the period between last October and February this year ranged between $200,000 and $560,000. There was a $335,000 average sale price.

There have been similar cases in WA including two successful sales and six attempted real estate frauds.

The ACT Real Estate Institute CEO, Ron Bell told 2CC Capital Radio that agents and homeowners must be wary as the scammers tend to get through the web.

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