Many Filipinos married to foreigners and foreigners relocating to our country have been victimized in Tagaytay. Properties not for sale have been offered to unsuspecting buyers who entrust their money to brokers and to people posing as property owners.
A Korean national who relocated to Tagaytay bought a subdivision lot from a Filipino couple posing as owners and constructed a beautiful house on the property. One day, the true owner of the lot showed up. The Korean is being sued by the true and legal owner. The Filipino couple who sold the Korean owner the lot have disappeared with his two million payment. These impostors, scammers, swindlers, produced a fake title using a photocopy of the original title. They presented themselves to the owner as brokers with a prospective buyer. The owner gave them a photo copy of her title. This couple reproduced it. Mukhang totoo. They placed their names instead as the owner. This is the title that they surrendered to the Korean.
There are many properties with three identical TCT (Transfer Certificate of Title) or the owner’s legal document proving his true ownership. TCT’s can easily be copies, printed, manufactured. Even if you bring it to the Registry of Deeds for verification of authenticity, it would come out true because it bears the same registration number.
3-back title
For your own protection, check the 3-back TITLES. Get copies of the previous titles and Tax Declarations.
Questions to ask the seller:
1. Where did you get this property?
Inheritance— from whom? Where did your parents get it? Bought from whom? Mother title?
2. If owners are dead, have they paid the estate taxes? Get copies of the extra judicial settlement. Get copies of the tax receipt. Get a copy of tax clearance. To give enough time to other parties to contest the inheritance. Baka merong anak sa labas o ibang asawa.
3. If property is located in Quezon City, has the title been reconstituted? Kasi nasunog yung munisipyo kaya kailangan lahat ng titulo galing ng Quezon City, ma-reconstitute.
4. Get copies of the realty property tax payments for the current year.
5. If owners are living in the US or abroad, the power of attorney or affidavit must be authenticated. Merong ribbon on the paper and seal of the Philippine Consulate in the country where they now reside.
5. Before you let go of your money, be very sure you’ve checked the authenticity of the documents and the legitimacy of ownership. Do not give your payment to a mere broker. Give to the owner. Get two copies of the owner’s identification to prove that he is one and the same person who is the registered owner of the property.
Related story from OMB reader Pamela Wann:
Hello Ms Annie.. The stories about brokers producing and selling FAKE TITLES are true.. Even in Mandaluyong, there have been incidents where the buyers would pay for the property and build their dream house and live happily ever after.. Only to receive a summons from the court, asking them to return the property to its RIGHTFUL OWNERS…They found out too late that they have been gypped by these brokers by virtue of the fake title given to them after paying millions for the said property.. 🙁
Kawawa naman those hard-working and too-trusting buyers duped by those scammers.. They ended up having no place to stay, and no more money to rent or even bedspace.. 🙁
Bahala na si God aa kanila.. Mabilis na naman ang KARMA eh.. DIGITAL na daw.. 😉
Take care and God bless u and ur beautiful family, Ms Annie…
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