Are You At Risk? Maine Land Sold Without Owner’s Knowledge

There's a pretty concerning issue taking place in York County, Maine.

According to WGME, scammers are fraudulently selling land that isn't theirs! No way!

How can this happen?

Here’s an example. As the article states, Mark Lobello discovered someone trying to sell his property at 32 Binnacle Lane in Kennebunkport without his knowledge.

The scammer was posing as Mark and even provided a fake ID!

The scammer that claimed to be the owner said that he wasn't in the state, so he couldn't walk the property when asked by Seacoast Sister Team at Better Homes & Gardens Masiello Group Real Estate Agent Jacquelyn Giordano.

"It confirmed when I asked him to walk the property with me," Giordano said. "He said, 'Oh I can't do that. I'm in a hospital in Texas. I need to sell the land quickly in order to pay my medical bills."

Mark spoke to the realtors, and they told him they suspected that someone was claiming to be him. He said,

"I turn the corner and I drive up; there's a for-sale sign in front of my lot."

Thank goodness Mark was able to catch on before the sale was finalized.

But here’s the thing, not everyone has been so lucky!

(If you like this, you may want to check out: LOOK: You Won't Believe How Easy it is to Be Scammed in Maine)

Richard Lowe is another victim who found out his property had been completely sold without his consent.

Richard Lowe became the owner of a two-acre property two decades ago. The property was located on Cole Road in Biddeford, and he was told his land had been sold to a developer in Biddeford months prior.

He had to go through so many channels and a complex legal process to reclaim his land.

This type of fraud isn't just a one-time thing. It's happening more and more, and there have been multiple cases reported in just York County alone. That tells us that Maine as a whole is likely experiencing this at a higher rate.

To address this issue, according to WGME, State Senator Henry Ingwersen has proposed a bill to get better protections against deed fraud. That way, if it happens, it would become a felony and they would impose stricter penalties on the criminals.

The bill is awaiting legislative action so landowners can take steps to safeguard their properties. One tip is setting up a notification with the Registrar's Office to make sure they are monitoring any incoming deed requests.