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District Attorney recommending the Board receive and file the Eighteenth Annual Report on Real Estate Fraud for Fiscal Year 2022-23.
FUNDING: Real Estate Fraud Prosecution Fund.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
In accordance with Government Code Section 27388(d), the Board of Supervisors is required to annually review the effectiveness of the District Attorney’s Office efforts in deterring, investigating and prosecuting Real Estate Fraud crime based upon information provided by the District Attorney via an annual report. The report is attached.
As presented during the 18th Annual Real Estate Fraud Committee held on July 6, 2023, the overall number of FY 2022-23 Real Estate Fraud cases reported to the District Attorney’s Office has remained consistent with the year prior. As of June 30, 2023, a total of 12 cases had been reported to and investigated by the office. The number of Notice of Defaults by homeowners has increased by 63% and the number of Notice of Trustee Sales has increased by 49% as compared to prior year data.
With the eruption of the Mosquito Fire during September 2022, the Real Estate Fraud Program provided additional services and information assistance at local assistance centers for victims of the fire, which consisted disbursing literature helping fire victims protect themselves from fraud. The office is actively working a case of vacation rental fraud, of which is a concern for the South Lake Tahoe region.
In the efforts of providing more outreach to the community regarding the awareness of Real Estate Fraud and rental scams, the program works to enhance social media outreach presence by providing links to site visitors to view the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office Vacation Rental Scam public service announcement, the Real Estate Fraud “Tips Resources” brochure and the Vacation Rental Scam Warning Flyer. Copies of these brochures are also available to the public in the front lobby of the District Attorney’s Office, the ...
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