The real-estate agents’ registration board (ESK) on Friday called on property buyers to be alert after a man in who presented himself as a middleman in the purchase of a plot scammed people into giving him €20,000 and disappeared.
According to the professional association, police are now looking for the whereabouts of a 56-year-old man from Limassol who, had presented himself as a middleman for the sale of a plot in Paphos. He was able to get €20,000 from the interested buyer and disappeared.
This was the second such case recently.
The first case involves a woman in Larnaca district who had presented herself as a real-estate agent and managed to extract large sums of money as down payment for renting or buying properties.
The illegal real estate activity “is a gangrene,” ESK said, adding they had asked for help from the police to clamp down on such activities. They also called on the public to report in case they suspect such activities.
ESK also called on people interested in buying, renting, or selling property to ask the person arranging for the agreements to show them their professional ID issued by ESK.
Source: Cyprus mail