FENWICK ISLAND, Del. - A near-sale of a Fenwick Island property was halted earlier this year after it was discovered that the real owner was unaware his land was on the market—a revelation that has prompted local authorities to issue warnings about a growing identity theft scam in the area.
The scam unraveled when a potential buyer showed interest in the property, and the realtor, believing they were representing the legitimate owner, forwarded the deal to the law firm Ward and Taylor. There, Ashley Miller, a real estate paralegal, noticed something was amiss.
“When I asked him to verify his mailing address associated with the county, he was unable to provide it,” Miller said. “He was kind of giving me the runaround and then eventually hung up on me. And that's obviously probably the biggest red flag of all.”
Authorities were soon involved, and the Fenwick Island Police Department issued a warning this week to all property owners, alerting them to an identity theft scam that appears to be making the rounds in Sussex County. “It's not uncommon in Sussex County at all. A lot of offices get hit with it. We've heard some horror stories. So it's pretty prevalent, especially in Sussex County,” Miller added.
Luckily, the scam was thwarted before any damage was done. Miller managed to track down the real owner of the property, and confirmed that the land was not actually for sale.
However, the police have yet to identify the suspect behind the attempted sale. Fenwick Island Police Chief Michael Morrissey indicated that they have no leads at this time but believe the perpetrator may be from out of state, possibly the Midwest.
“This can happen if you own unimproved property here in town, because you're not raising red flags when you're walking on a property and you're looking at it and you make an offer on it if you see it's for sale, as opposed to a house where you actually have to go in and look at it and whatnot,” Chief Morrissey explained.
Meaghan Hudson, an attorney at Ward and Taylor, cautioned that buyers also need to be vigilant. “If you're a buyer and looking to put in an offer on a property and the value seems too good to be true, likely that's the case,” Hudson said.
Chief Morrissey hopes that by spreading awareness, property owners and potential buyers in Fenwick Island will be more vigilant and avoid falling victim to similar scams.
To report suspicious activities, contact the Fenwick Island Police Department at 302-539-2000 or Delaware State Police.
