The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office is dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of real estate related crimes. If you suspect you are a victim of Real Estate Fraud, or have knowledge of such activity, please report this information to the District Attorney’s Office. Through our collective efforts, we can protect individuals from fraudulent activity and provide a safe real estate market.
PREVENTING REAL ESTATE FRAUD
OWNER ALERT is a FREE REAL ESTATE FRAUD NOTICE SERVICE from the County of San Diego Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk.
Key to protecting you against real estate fraud!
The service sends an immediate email notification to subscribed property owners anytime a document is recorded with our office transferring title to your property.
OWNER ALERT is a great step forward to protecting San Diego County property owners like you from title fraud and unwarranted liens
Keep in mind:
This service only applies to documents recorded AFTER your subscriber registration has been activated. Search the County of San Diego Official Records Index from 1970 to present.
Not all APNs and names are entered in the Official Records Index. Learn more about document types and their indexed fields.
Subscriptions monitoring common surnames and/or first names may receive additional notifications that may not apply to the subscriber. If you suspect you are a victim of fraud, contact the District Attorney’s Office – Real Estate Fraud Unit.
How to Report Suspected Real Estate Fraud
The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office (SDCDA) Real Estate Fraud Unit will review or investigation real estate fraud related cases occurring in San Diego County. Examples of the types of cases which will be considered for investigation are as follows: submission of forged loan applications; fraudulent transfers of title of real property; recordation of fraudulent real estate documents; home equity sale contract fraud; and mortgage foreclosure consultant fraud.
The following is how to submit a complaint:
- Read thoroughly the Guidelines for Completing the Real Estate Complaint Form provided below available in English and Spanish. Guidelines to submitting a Real Estate Complaint – (Click here for Spanish)
- Fill out the Real Estate Complaint Form. The form is provided below both in English and Spanish.
Real Estate Complaint Form – (Click here for Spanish)If you prefer to receive a hard copy of the Complaint Form and Guidelines, you can call the District Attorney’s Office Real Estate Packet Request Line at 619-531-3552. Leave your name and address and state that you are requesting that a complaint form be mailed to you.You can also send an email to RealEstateFraudComplaints@sdcda.org, and the Complaint Form and Guidelines will be emailed back to you as attachments. - Complete a summary/ narrative of the details of your complaint and attach it to the Real Estate Complaint Form (please see the Guidelines for Completing the Real Estate Complaint Form for direction on what to include in your summary.)
- Attach any documents that you believe are important and can assist us in making a decision on how to proceed with your case.
- Send in your complaint, summary/ narrative, and attachments. This can be done in the following ways:Mail to:
Office of the District Attorney
Real Estate Fraud Section
P.O. BOX 121011
San Diego, CA 92112-1011Or email them as attachments to the following email address:
RealEstateFraudComplaints@sdcda.org
The mailing address and email address are also provided in the Guidelines for Completing the Real Estate Complaint Form.
What they do when they receive your complaint.
You will receive confirmation either by letter or email that they received your complaint and providing you with a case number assigned to your complaint.
They will review all the information and supporting documentation that is included. They will contact you to let you know their decision or ask additional follow-up questions if needed. A letter will also be sent to you notifying you of the decision their office has made regarding your complaint.
If they decide to file criminal charges, a Deputy District Attorney from the Economic Crimes Division will be assigned to prosecute the case.
If the complaint does not meet their criteria to open a case, they will do their best to refer you to an agency that will assist you with the type of matter involved.
Many real estate disputes are not appropriate for criminal charges but can be pursued through private civil legal action. Their office is not legally permitted to represent individuals in civil matters, help cancel any debt due on a contract that was signed, resolve or mediate individual contractual complaints, or obtain any other personal relief. It is generally a good idea to consult with a private civil attorney to explore civil legal remedies that might be available.
If you need a civil lawyer to assist you in determining what, if any, civil remedies you may have, you may visit the following State of California website, which lists certified lawyer referral services at www.calbar.ca.gov/public/need-Legal-Help/lawyer-Referral-Service, or the San Diego County Bar Association’s website, which also contains lawyer referral information at https://www.sdcba.org.
An additional excellent resource for you to get started on receiving non-criminal assistance is the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) website: www.hud.gov/states/california/homeownership/hsgcounseling . HUD is the Federal agency responsible for national policy and programs dealing with America’s housing needs and enforce fair housing laws. This website has a search function to look up all the HUD approved housing counseling and foreclosure avoidance counseling agencies in your area.
CONTACTS:
SAN DIEGO DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE ECONOMIC CRIMES DIVISION:
619-531-4070
TO REQUEST A REAL ESTATE COMPLAINT PACKET –
District Attorney’s Office Real Estate Packet Request Phone Line at 619-531-3552 or
email: RealEstateFraudComplaints@sdcda.org
TO SUBMIT YOUR COMPLETED REAL ESTATE COMPLAINT PACKET –
Mail to:
Office of the District Attorney
Real Estate Fraud Section
P.O. BOX 121011
San Diego, CA 92112-1011
Or email them as attachments to the following email address:
RealEstateFraudComplaints@sdcda.org
Useful Links
- North San Diego REALTORS®
- Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS®
- Greater San Diego Association or REALTORS®
- Housing Collaborative
- Mortgage Borrowers Rights
Important Contact Information
- 619-531-3552 Real Estate Fraud Complaint Line
- 619-525-4192 California Department of Real Estate
- 619-231-8585 San Diego County Bar Referral Service
or 800-464-1529
