Avoiding fake land titles

[Jollygoodfellow]

Just a tiny bit of info. 

How to avoid fake land titles

It is quite important to avoid fake land titles if you truly want to own what you’re buying. A land title proves you are indeed the owner of the property you just bought. It also signifies you have the full control and executive right to the house.

However, scammers continue to produce fake land titles in a bid to con property buyers out of money. One of the most common tricks is someone posing as a real estate agent. They will ask for money to purchase the property and then handover a document many to believe to be a land title.

That document is actually reproduction and holds no value or legal rights. In most cases, the person posing as the agent disappears and the real owner of the property will return asking for rent or other fees associated with the home.

The government is digitizing millions of land titles to help combat this, but the process remains slow. Government officials told ABS-CBN that some 11 million land titles are manually-issued while only three million are digital. These numbers will shift in the coming years, but the process is expected to take time.

If you plan on buying a property in the near future, here is how you can avoid fake land titles.

3 ways to avoid fake land titles
1) Check the paper
The easiest way to avoid fake land titles is to check the paper used. Land titles do not use ordinary paper. It has a texture similar to a bank check. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is the only entity allowed to print land titles. They use a special paper made out of 50/50 cotton-chemical wood blend. If the land title is older, it should be a light shade of yellow.

2) Work with a trusted agent
Working with a trusted property agent can ensure you avoid fake land titles. You can ask them to see a valid ID of the person selling the home to check if it matches the name on the land title. Also, scope out how the agent is behaving. Untrustworthy property agents are pushy and ask for money quickly. They may also demand you accept a land title from a proxy. You should NEVER do this.

When searching for a home on Dot Property Philippines, you can see if someone is a verified seller. This can offer added peace of mind you are working with a respectable seller.

3) Look for authentic marks
An Original Certificate of Land Title (OCT) will have “Judicial Form No. 108-D” printed on it. Absence or corrections to this text means it is fake or has been altered. Additionally, you should also look for a faint watermark with the initials “LRA” on the title.

https://www.dotproperty.com.ph/blog/avoid-fake-land-titles?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=How+To+Avoid+Fake+Land+Titles&utm_campaign=DP+Philippines+Newsletter+15AUG2018

[DirkSquirrel]

useful stuff. thanks

[Onemore52]

From what I have learned about buying land here is, there is one rule, and that is "Don't buy land". The number of different types of scams is mind boggling, once again due to the forum rules I cannot mention the scams that nearly brought me undone.

[Jack Peterson]

5 minutes ago, Onemore52 said:

once again due to the forum rules I cannot mention the scams that nearly brought me undone.

  But we have a Topic Header for just this, tell us the stories so many can learn

https://www.philippines-expats.com/forum/155-scams-to-be-aware-of-in-the-philippines/

 Jack 

[jimeve]

31 minutes ago, Onemore52 said:

From what I have learned about buying land here is, there is one rule, and that is "Don't buy land". The number of different types of scams is mind boggling, once again due to the forum rules I cannot mention the scams that nearly brought me undone.

Foreigners can't buy land In the Philippines. 

[Jack Peterson]

2 minutes ago, jimeve said:

Foreigners can't buy land In the Philippines. 

 That is probably one of the Scams, Foreigners being told they can, if they use and Agent  

It happens

[Onemore52]

I will rephrase it then, "Don't get involved with any purchases of land" simple! Is that acceptable?

[Jack Peterson]

1 minute ago, Onemore52 said:

"Don't get involved with any purchases of land" simple! Is that acceptable?

Very difficult to avoid if Married and want to build a family Home, Nothing wrong if you have a good  SO/Wife and have done all the Homework and crossed the "T's" and dotted the "i's," most problems that come up and the thing goes sour is when people Rush in  cos they got a pocket full of Money and don't know much about the GF ( which it is normally) Can't say we hear much about long  term Marriages/ Relationships that have gone really bad [ yes of course there are some] 

A Good Friends told me we (the Foreigner) and our Money are only as safe & sound as our Relationship and that my friend is where many make the mistake "Fools rush in" comes to mind and of course in a lot of cases are "parted" from their money

Of course YMMV But.............................

[Dave Hounddriver]

17 minutes ago, Onemore52 said:

"Don't get involved with any purchases of land" simple! Is that acceptable?

It is acceptable advice.  It is wise advice.  It is advice that most readers will not listen to. Groucho Marx put it succinctly

[RBM]

41 minutes ago, Onemore52 said:

I will rephrase it then, "Don't get involved with any purchases of land" simple! Is that acceptable?

Wonder how many expats feel about this statement.  I know of many including  myself whom have land Holdings here and are very satisfied with the results, many years on.

Think it's to broad  a statement on the point of being  negative, as friend Jack said do not rush in an do your homework. Myself and many others have never been happier than having a place we are prepared to call home