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atthew and Camille Donegan, New York natives who own vacant land in Lebanon County, were surprised to learn that someone had posted their property for sale without their knowledge. The incident occurred when a neighbor contacted them on Thanksgiving Day to inform them of the listing. The Donegans immediately reported the issue to the Lebanon County Recorder of Deeds' office, which promptly removed the listing.

    The scammer had obtained Matthew's signature through an electronic documentation platform by creating an account in his name and using his default signature. This allowed them to write up a sales contract for the property with a stipulation that the cash would be sent to a PO box address.

    This incident is one of two attempted fraudulent sales of vacant land in Lebanon County since last fall, according to Dawn Blauch, recorder of deeds. In both cases, the properties were owned by individuals who are not local residents and were being sold through Realtors based in other counties.

    Hank Lerner, chief legal officer for the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors, noted that several calls are received monthly about real estate fraud across the commonwealth. He advised sellers to be cautious of quick turnaround offers or those that only want cash, as these may be red flags.

    Lerner also offered guidance for real estate agents, suggesting they should be suspicious if a seller is unwilling to meet in person or provide verifiable ID. Agents should also be wary of urgent, cash-only deals and require in-person notarization for deed transfers when possible.

    The Lebanon County Association of Realtors has posted information on social media advising their members to be alert for fraudulent real estate transactions. The association provided pointers for agents to verify seller identity, check ownership history, and be cautious of urgent, cash-only deals.

    Lebanon County's Records Alert system was launched in 2023 to inform property owners when someone tries to file a fraudulent deed against them. While it won't prevent this type of illegal activity from happening, it can notify the rightful owner immediately if a sale were to go through.

    Blauch emphasized that neighbors should be vigilant and look out for each other, as they may be able to catch potential scams before they occur.