Housed property is a significant achievement in everyone’s life; however, what if at the time of acquiring your investment, you discover that all the documents associated with your property are fake? Unfortunately, fake sale deed fraud is common in India, and falling victim to it is a financial and emotional nightmare. Don’t worry, though: there’s much you can do to tackle this situation and ensure that it doesn’t happen again.

In this blog, we’re going to take you through what to do if you fall victim to property fraud, plus some handy hints on how to avoid it.

Steps to Take If You Fall Victim to Property Fraud

If you find yourself a victim of property fraud, taking prompt and informed action is crucial. Below are the key steps to help you address the situation, protect your rights, and minimize the impact of fraud. Follow these 8 steps carefully to ensure that you take the right legal actions.

1. Lodge a Police Report Immediately

First, seek the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) at your nearest police station. This is just an initial process, and the further inquiry will be done by the police. Don’t forget to include these important sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) when registering the fraud:
Section 420 – Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property
Section 467 – Forgery of valuable security or documents
Section 471 – Using forged documents as genuine.
These sections empower the police to make an investigation into the fraud and institute criminal proceedings against the fraudster.

2. Scrutinise the Sale Deed

Go to the sub-registrar’s office where the sale deed was registered. Verification, indeed, is a way of ensuring that the authenticity of the papers stands the right test. If the documents were forged, you can have the registration canceled. This would call the sub-registrar’s office to work out fraud transactions and ensure everything works as it should with respect to legal ownership records.

3. Plea to the Court to challenge the fraudulent sale

You’ll have to go to court since you have confirmed the fraud. You can file a civil suit for the following purposes:
Declare the sale deed null and void: The judge can declare the transaction void if fraud is well proven.
Reverse the transaction: If successful, the property can either be returned to you or declared unsellable by the fraudster.
This lawsuit will protect your rights and prevent the fraudster from selling the property again.

4. Confirm Property Ownership

Ownership verification is a fundamental step in any conveyance, particularly property transfer. Just go to the Land Records Office or Revenue Department to:
Verify the title deed of the property.
Determine if the seller had the legal authority to sell the said property.
These will help you determine which ones are misleading and confirm some proofs for your case.

5. Talk to a Property Lawyer

Navigating through the legal tangle of property fraud can be really complicated. A good property lawyer can:

• Draft and file the police report and FIR for you.
• Helping in collecting all the required evidence, including forged documents and proof of ownership.
• Represent you in court and in civil cases.
• The legality ensures that nothing goes wrong, does not delay anything, and commits no mistakes

6. Claiming Compensation for the Losses

If it is impossible to retrieve your property, do not worry—you can still be compensated monetarily. A civil action allows you to collect:

• The amount you pay for the sham purchase.
• Compensatory damages over and above legal fees, emotional distress, among other monetary losses.
• You may not recover your property, but certainly, you should be compensated for the injury sustained.

7. Stop Future Property Theft

Once you’ve emerged victorious, here are some steps to follow to safeguard yourself:

• File a caveat: This is a legal notice with the sub-registrar’s office to prevent the fraudulent sale of the property.
• Regular checks: Keep checking changes to see if there’s an alteration in the records of the property so you can raise an alarm early enough on fraudulent activities.

8. Act Within the Statute of Limitations

Remember that you only have a specific amount of time within which to file a case. Statute of Limitations usually gives you three years from the date you discovered the fraud. The longer you wait, the less your chances of recovery will be, so do not procrastinate.

How to Lodge a Complaint on Duplicate Documents

If you have already purchased property due to duplicate documents, here is what you should do:

Authenticate the Documents: Validate documents by relevant state authorities in order to ensure genuineness. Be more careful if the documents emanate from a different state, as the prevalent scammers target areas where there is a weakness in the state-level scrutiny.

Collect Tangible Evidence: Collect copies of original evidence in proof of your transaction, such as:

• Processed and copied counterfeited documents.
• Correspondence with sellers. 
• Receipts of payments.

File a Formal Complaint Online: Many states have a website through which you can file complaints about property fraud. Check the requirements for your state and submit any paperwork required.

How to Prevent Property Fraud

Here are some simple steps to help avoid falling victim to property fraud:

Validate identification of seller: Cross-check government-issued IDs, and ensure that they correlate with the title deed.
Work with credible estate agents: You should work with credible real estate agents. If you need to, do your own background check.
You hire experts: Lawyers and property legal consultants can notice red flags you may miss.

How Zolvit Can Help

Dealing with property fraud is inconvenient, but with the right support, you do not have to face it alone. Here’s how Zolvit can help:

Expert Legal Advice: We give you clear legal advice on what is owed to you and what you should do.
Dedicated Documentation Support: From preparation and verification to making sure all your documents are properly present in the papers, there’s zero room for mistakes.
Legal Advocacy: With experienced advocates, you get to have expert presentation before courts of law to fight for your rights.
Zolvit makes it easier for you, so you can concentrate on recovering your property and your wealth security.

Conclusion

Property fraud can be an extremely overwhelming experience, but if you understand your legal options and take immediate action, that is going to make a huge difference. You can protect your rights and recover your losses through the right complaints, challenge fraudulent deeds, and seek expert help. Don’t let fraud derail your financial future—act quickly, stay informed, and rely on professionals to safeguard your investments.

FAQs Related to Property Fraud in India