221 Cannon Road Is Not for Sale
A property owner details a sophisticated, persistent scam where fraudsters repeatedly attempt to sell his vacant land using fake IDs and remote communications. The story highlights critical vulnerabilities in real estate transactions and lax verification processes, sparking robust Hacker News discussion on the US property registry system, title insurance, and identity theft definitions.
The Lowdown
Fred Benenson's vacant land in Wilton, CT, has become the repeated target of an elaborate real estate scam. Despite the property never being listed, fraudsters have, on multiple occasions, attempted to sell it by impersonating him and his brother, leveraging publicly available property details and fake identification.
The initial attempt in 2024 involved a scammer communicating with a real estate agent via email and text, even e-signing a purchase agreement. The fraud was uncovered due to a diligent attorney who independently verified ownership after encountering a similar scheme previously. The scammer provided a fake New York State driver's license bearing the author's father's name and address but with a stranger's photo, relying on the remote nature of the transaction to avoid detection.
Key aspects of the incident and the scam include:
- Scammer Tactics: Impostors used fake emails with subtle misspellings and avoided in-person meetings, pushing for quick closings and agreeing to any suggested price.
- Discovery: The first attempt was thwarted by an attorney's policy to independently verify vacant land ownership, while subsequent attempts were caught by observant real estate agents.
- Law Enforcement Response: The author's report to the FBI was underwhelming; he was asked to handwrite a complaint on a single sheet of paper and received no follow-up.
- Vacant Land Vulnerabilities: The scam specifically targets vacant land due to the absence of occupants, neighbors to notice activity, and the prevalence of remote closings.
- Protective Measures: Benenson suggests recording fraud alerts with county recorders, setting up Google Alerts for property addresses, and making owner contact information easily findable online to aid verification.
Benenson concludes by explicitly stating that 221 Cannon Road is not for sale, using the blog post itself as a public warning and a resource for any future real estate professionals who might encounter similar fraudulent attempts.
The Gossip
Identity Issues & Interpretations
Many commenters debated the author's opening statement, 'Like most people, I’ve had my identity stolen once or twice in my life,' questioning its universality. While some agreed that minor incidents like credit card fraud constitute identity theft, making the claim plausible, others contended that true identity theft, particularly in property deals, is less common than suggested. The discussion explored the varying definitions and pervasiveness of identity theft in modern life.
Registry Realities & Title Troubles
A central theme revolved around the decentralized nature of the US land registry system, often managed at the county level, contrasting it with more centralized 'Torrens-style' systems found elsewhere. Commenters discussed how this decentralization, coupled with lobbying from the title insurance industry, contributes to vulnerabilities. The role of title insurance was scrutinized, with some arguing it profits from an inefficient system, while others explained its necessity for covering historical title defects not captured in databases.
Protective Protocols & Practical Prevention
Users offered various proactive measures to safeguard vacant land, ranging from low-tech solutions like erecting a physical 'not for sale' sign on the property to more formal methods like registering fraud alerts with the Land Registry (as in the UK). There was discussion on the effectiveness of title insurance for protecting owners versus buyers, and skepticism about how readily scammers could collect earnest money if proper escrow procedures were followed.
Widespread Wickedness
Several Hacker News participants shared their own experiences or linked to similar property fraud cases, indicating that this type of scam is alarmingly common. Anecdotes ranged from receiving unsolicited offers for properties they don't own to more severe instances like homes being mistakenly built on the wrong lot, underscoring the broad scope of real estate-related deceit.
Federal Fumbles
The author's frustrating experience with the FBI, where his detailed complaint was reduced to a handwritten note with no follow-up, resonated with some commenters. This led to cynicism about law enforcement's willingness to engage in such cases, with one comment suggesting the FBI only gets involved when politically advantageous.