Would you like to know how to spot Lagos land scams? We're here to help you if you say yes. It takes a lot of courage to buy a house in Lagos. If you ask any landlord in Lagos, they'll tell you stories about what's happening in the real estate market there. Even though land scams can happen anywhere, the fact that Lagos is a city makes it a perfect place for them to happen.
Using Fake Papers To Sell Things
In this scam, the steps go like this: you see the place you want and meet the person who says they own it. They also brought what looked like complete and absolute land papers for the final handover. What's wrong is that these papers are fake. Something has been changed with either the title deed or the survey plan.
The papers in these scams might look natural, so even someone who knows what they're doing could fall for them. Scammers often use sophisticated forgery methods to make fake Governor's Consent, Certificates of Occupancy, and Deeds of Assignment, all essential proofs of land ownership in Lagos.
People who fall for these scams often face long court fights to get their money back or prove that they legally own the land. Sadly, many of these cases never get settled, so buyers are constantly guessing what will happen.
Multiple People Want To Buy The Same Piece Of Land
This scam is widespread in Lagos, and the "Omoniles," who own land there, are the best at it. Other than a few confirmed cases, many Omoniles sell the same piece of land to several people who don't know it. They might show you real papers and even take you to the site, but you won't say other people have already bought the same plot.
Most of the time, they give each buyer what looks like actual papers, but later, they find out they were all scammed. This scam type often happens in places where land is in high demand. Most of the time, the real owners are involved in the fraud. They use middlemen to make the sales and leave once the fraud is found.
Selling Land Without All Owners' Permission
In Lagos, figuring out who owns land can be challenging because many plots belong to families or groups of people instead of one person. Scammers sometimes take advantage of this by selling land without getting permission from all the owners.
This scam usually happens when someone in the family decides to sell land they received without telling other family members or getting their permission first. They might only discover the scam once other family members come forward to claim their share of the land. This causes disagreements that may take years to settle, and the buyer usually loses money and gets into legal trouble.
Land Encroachment And Boundary Disputes
Every inch of land is essential in a big city like Lagos, so people often cross the lines of their land and fight over who owns it. Scammers take advantage of unmarked borders to sell land that doesn't belong to them. They might sell a piece of land that touches or crosses with land owned by neighbors or the government. These disagreements can cause government officials to tear down property or long court cases with nearby property owners.
Reselling Repossessed Or Acquired Land
The Lagos State Government often buys land for public use, such as building roads or other public infrastructure. It is against the law to sell land that the government has already taken over without following the proper steps for redistribution or payment. However, scammers then sell these places they buy to people who don't know about them, often at lower prices, to get the sales over quickly.
When building plans start for the land they just bought, the new owners often find themselves at odds with the government. Most of the time, they lose their money and don't get anything back. To prevent this, always check the Land Registry to see if the land is free for the government to take over.
Scams With Land Speculation
People who speculate on land buy it, hoping its value will increase. Scammers take advantage of this by selling plots that don't exist in parts of Lagos that are said to be "coming up." To get backers, they make fake growth plans and use convincing marketing. You'll be shocked when you go to buy these lands.
You will learn that these places only sometimes may be very far from the city, even if they do. Getting a return after that point is impossible because you've already paid. And it could take years and years for the land's value to rise. To stay away from this scam, you should always do a lot of study and make sure the growth plans are real.
Land Sold With Outstanding Disputes
Some land in Lagos is already subject to court battles or other restrictions. Omoniles and other dishonest sellers hide these problems from possible buyers, who only find out about them after the sale.
Usually, these disagreements are about property or loans that used the land as protection that has yet to be paid back. In these situations, buyers end up in long court fights and lose money. They may have to settle the bills or pay off the debtors to keep the land.
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