Potential fraud – Land Registry Alert? Help please

Potential fraud – Land Registry Alert? Help please

9:17 AM, 30th April 2021, About 4 years ago 10

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The Land Registry recently sent me emails saying there has been activity by a bank on three of my rental properties. They are unable to provide any details except to say “the applications for all 3 properties have now been completed.” They also advised me to download a copy of the register at a cost of £3 per property from the GOV.uk-Find a Property Service website, which I did, but this did not show any mention of the bank.

I did have loans in the 1990s and early 2000s with this bank to buy the properties but paid the last one off probably ten years ago and have not had any other loans on them.

Obviously, I am worried that there may be some fraud taking place, so how can I find out what triggered the alert, so I can take appropriate action?

Dawn


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land law

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10:24 AM, 30th April 2021, About 4 years ago

Hi
1. This doesn’t look like the land registry website. (Perhaps their address has changed from the one I use). ) https://eservices.landregistry.gov.uk/eservices/FindAProperty/view/QuickEnquiryInit.do?_ga=2.135138738.200815705.1619774098-1601183559.1619374107
2. If it’s not on the register, it doesn’t exist - but check the date
3. It’s possible - only possible - that somehow tried to harvest details of your payment card / ie how you paid for the title. Keep an eye out

Sunrise

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10:58 AM, 30th April 2021, About 4 years ago

Thank you. I did go to the official website to download the register title and it does show that I am still the official owner with no lender. The dates and purchase price match too so don't think any change in ownership has been registered. Hopefully my credit card details are ok as I used the official Land Registry website and did not click on any links. I have written to the bank to see if they can trace anything but there are not many details for them to go on.

Joanna Fear

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11:25 AM, 30th April 2021, About 4 years ago

I would check that you have at least two addresses for service for each property you own. You can use an email address for one. A lot of fraud takes place when the registered proprietor has an out of date address for service.

Dylan Morris

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11:38 AM, 30th April 2021, About 4 years ago

I’d phone the Land Registry and ask to speak to their Fraud department as something is not right here at all. Seems to me somebody has made mortgage application on your properties.

Mike

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16:05 PM, 30th April 2021, About 4 years ago

Sounds like you have been duped, first of all I do not think Land Registry would email anyone to inform them of any activity reports on their registers, it would be through postal service, same as HMRC do not send reminders or demand notices, except through post, i have never had any emails from HMRC.
That Gov.Uk site may be fake, so you need to trace its source, or examine the address carefully, it may look like a genuine Gov site, these scammers can easily fool the unwary, .
Secondly, ask yourself did you do any property deals, or bank loans, so that £3.00 you paid to check register may again not be a proper Gov site , so if I were you I would cancel that credit or debit card and ask for a new one, also notify Land Registry of this email you received, you contacted the bank and the do not have any knowledge of any recent activity. Its a fraud by the sound of it.

land law

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16:23 PM, 30th April 2021, About 4 years ago

Just FYI - the land registry do operate an alert by email service - if you have registered for it. They say -
“Property Alert is an award winning free property monitoring service aimed at anyone who feels a registered property could be at risk from fraud.Once you have signed up to the service, you will receive email alerts when certain activity occurs on your monitored properties, allowing you to take action if necessary.”

But did you register for it. And even if you did, this still looks suspicious if you found nothing in the register. Very much worth a check with land registry and your bank

land law

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16:23 PM, 30th April 2021, About 4 years ago

Just FYI - the land registry do operate an alert by email service - if you have registered for it. They say -
“Property Alert is an award winning free property monitoring service aimed at anyone who feels a registered property could be at risk from fraud.Once you have signed up to the service, you will receive email alerts when certain activity occurs on your monitored properties, allowing you to take action if necessary.”

But did you register for it. And even if you did, this still looks suspicious if you found nothing in the register. Very much worth a check with land registry and your bank

Sunrise

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19:08 PM, 30th April 2021, About 4 years ago

Just to update everyone and to thank people for their help. The Land Registry Fraud Office have been very helpful and it seems that the bank had contacted the Land Registry to discharge their interest in the loan that I had many years ago to buy the properties. They said it was very unusual for it to take so many years but were able to assure me that no other activity had been made on the properties. So thankfully everything appears to be ok and anyone else in the same situation will now know to contact the Land Registry Fraud Office.

Badger

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10:42 AM, 1st May 2021, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by land law at 30/04/2021 - 16:23
And a jolly handy service it is too.

Shame that it is limited to only 12 properties though.

Chris

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10:53 AM, 1st May 2021, About 4 years ago

Just set up a 2nd email address so you get notifications from Land Registry.

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