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lba and Jarin Martinez, a Texas husband-and-wife duo, are accused of falsely claiming ownership and selling properties they didn't own. According to an April lawsuit filed by the Harris County Attorney's Office, the couple allegedly claimed ownership of at least 35 properties in Harris County, resulting in over $1 million in damages.

    A judge issued a temporary injunction to prevent the Martinezes from filing documents related to these properties. However, Alba Martinez has been accused of violating the court order twice, including an incident caught on camera. The county is seeking contempt charges against her.

    Surveillance footage obtained by KPRC 2 shows Alba signing a contract to sell a property in the Acres Homes neighborhood for $25,000, despite it being owned by heirs of a deceased couple. She allegedly used a fake warranty deed and affidavit of heirship to pass off the property as her own.

    Kenneth Sasser, who runs Sasser Land Group, expressed suspicion when Alba offered the property at an unusually low price. After conducting further research, his team discovered potential evidence of fraud and reported it to the Houston Police Department.

    The FBI's Internet Crime Report notes that real estate fraud complaints totaled 9,521 in 2023. To protect your property from similar scams, consider taking precautions such as:

    * Never leaving your property unattended for long periods

    * Setting up a Google alert for your property address

    * Monitoring property records and title alerts in the county where your property is located

    * Purchasing title insurance or placing your home in a trust to add an extra layer of protection