If you’re thinking of building your dream family home on a piece of land that is being sold for a song, think again!

Police in KZN are warning prospective land buyers to be wary of con artists selling plots of land that do not belong to them.

Already many KZN residents have been lured into paying between R40 000 and R85 000 for plots of land around the city particularly in Edendale, Azalea and the Buffer Zone area.

Everything initially looks legitimate until the new “landowner” takes occupation and starts building, only to be informed that the land actually belongs to someone else.

Plessislaer Police Station has opened several fraud dockets relating to the scams.

According to uMgungundlovu District Police spokesperson Sergeant Sifiso Gwala agents working for the syndicates place adverts in local newspapers offering land for sale.

“The prices for the land are ranging from R40 000 and up to R85 000. In a recent case a woman bought land in Buffer area for R85000, only to find that the owner of the land is not selling it and has never put out any advert,” he said.

Gwala said this is an organised crime as the scammers have many people working for them purpoting to be lawyers, deeds staff and estate agents.

He said they are using the same modus operandi for everyone who shows interest in buying land they have advertised and they take the client’s money.

“If you are calling them the call get answered by someone in a Durban office who then refers you to someone in Pietermaritzburg to assist with the viewing.

“If you like the land, they go to deeds office and they take you to Durban where all the paperwork will be done and transferred to a local attorney to process everything,” he said.

While everything looks legitimate the problem starts when you try using the land and the rightful owner comes to you and tells you he never sold his land.

Msunduzi Municipality spokesperson Ntobeko Mkhize said the municipality has been working very hard to eradicate land invasion which has affected various areas and sites that are earmarked for critical projects.

She said there have also been reports that there are individuals who have been attempting to solicit payments from the members of the public for the sale of municipal-owned land, including sites that were earmarked for future disposal for residential purposes.

“The rapid response unit has been working closely with law enforcement agencies to deal with the perpetrators. We can confirm that an employee of the municipality who was involved in the illegal sale of council land was dismissed and charged.

“The municipality continues to appeal to the members of public to be vigilant and to not fall victim to these scams; that can be done by enquiring with the municipality regarding any future land disposal,” she said.

She added that the municipality cannot win the war against land invasion on its own, they rely on communities to report land invasion as it happens in order for the municipality to act swiftly and within the ambit of the law.

Police tips on things to do to ensure you are not scammed:

· Do research about the land.
· Go personally to the deeds office to check who is the owner of the land and if he/she is really selling the land.
· Get a lawyer who will check the things on your behalf.
· Before signing anything, do research and be a step ahead of the sellers.
· Do not make any payments if there is something you are unsure of.