HOME BUYERS BEWARE - NEW SCAM IN BRAZIL

As if purchasing real estate in Brazil didn't already have a high degree of risk, what with various taxes that remain with the property, lack of clear title, debts for utilities that pass with the transfer is not paid, and squatters rights laws that mean you could be buying something that you will have a great deal of difficulty ever occupying there is a new scam to worry about.

This scam revolves around criminals passing themselves off as the owners (sellers) of property at the Cartório, using counterfeit documents of identification (the Registro Geral - RG) when transferring the property to the purchaser.

The problem is that Cartórios have absolutely no way to confirm the authenticity of the supposed "owner" throught the Secretary of Public Safety (Secretária de Segurança Pública) in the state where the document was perported to have been issued. Cartórios simply accept this document at face value and the fraudulent transfer takes place. Eventually when the real owner finds out, usually when the purchaser shows up to move in unexpectedly, the courts simply seize the property until the matter is resolved by the courts. In all cases the property ends up being returned to the rightful owner leaving the purchaser to take the loss completely as the fraudsters have simply vanished from the face of the earth by that time.

Now that this scam has been reported in the media here in Brazil you can rest assured that more people will be practicing this kind of fraud now that they know how easy it is and how well it works.

Just another of the many reasons you need the services of a reputable realtor (Corretor de Imóveis) and even then you should have a lawyer look over the Contrato Particular de Compra e Venda before you sign on the dotted line and hand over your hard earned cash.

Cheers,
James      Expat-blog Experts Team