🔐 Staying Safe in Real Estate: What You Need to Know About Scams and How We’re Protecting You

🔐 Staying Safe in Real Estate: What You Need to Know About Scams and How We’re Protecting You

As real estate professionals deeply rooted in the Delaware community, our top priority is the safety and trust of our clients. Unfortunately, scams targeting both property owners and REALTORS® are becoming more frequent and increasingly sophisticated—not only here in Delaware but nationwide.

🚨 What’s Happening?
Criminals are actively targeting:

• Vacant and unencumbered properties, attempting to pose as owners to illegally sell or lease them.

• Licensed agents and brokerages, by impersonating real professionals using realistic-looking credentials and false documents.

• Brokerages, through fraudulent companies that promise fake referral leads in exchange for up-front sign-up fees.

In fact, a recent national scam involved a phony business pretending to be a Delaware-based brokerage. They reached out to agents across the country, offering fake client referrals—but only after collecting a fraudulent “membership” or “lead” fee. These scams are designed to exploit trust in our industry and take advantage of good people.

🛡️ How We’re Protecting Our Clients
We take these threats seriously. Here’s what our team is actively doing to combat fraud and protect you:

• Verification protocols: We double-check identities and property records to ensure every transaction is legitimate.

• Secure communication: We use verified contact methods and will never ask for sensitive information over unsecure channels.

• Continual training: Our agents receive ongoing education to stay alert to the latest fraud tactics and how to avoid them.

• Local relationships: Our strong ties with local title companies, attorneys, and municipalities add an extra layer of verification and security to every deal.

📌 What You Can Do
One of the best preventative steps property owners can take is to enroll in their county’s free deed alert system. This service will notify you if a document is filed in your name, helping stop fraud early:

🔹 New Castle County Deed Alerts
🔹 Kent County Deed Alerts
🔹 Sussex County Deed Alerts

These free alerts act as your first line of defense, especially if you own vacant land, investment property, or a second home.

👥 We’re Here for You
If you ever receive a suspicious message or offer, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team before taking any action. We're committed to transparency, safety, and providing peace of mind through every step of the real estate process.

If you ever have any questions please know we are a local resource to discuss all of your real estate related questions, concerns, or needs.

-The Julie Gritton Team- Buy with Confidence, Sell with Success