Police warn public over rise in fake real estate agents

Police have raised concerns over a surge in fraudulent companies posing as legitimate real estate agents, defrauding unsuspecting members of the public through fictitious property sales and transactions.

Detective Inspector Rachel Muteweri, spokesperson for the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), confirmed that law enforcement recently arrested three individuals linked to the scam: Don Garikai Budzi, 32; Tafadzwa Leslie Mwedzi, 38; and Mordecai Tigere, 41.

The trio was charged with violating Section 60(a) and (b) of the Estate Agents Act (Chapter 27:17) after operating as estate agents without proper registration.

"The suspects had been advertising and selling both residential properties and commercial stands without fulfilling the necessary registration requirements set by the Real Estate Agents Council of Zimbabwe," Det-Insp Muteweri said. "This poses a significant financial risk to potential customers."

The accused appeared before the Harare Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, where they were remanded in custody.

Police have urged members of the public to exercise caution when engaging estate agents. Det-Insp Muteweri advised verifying the registration status of agents with the Real Estate Agents Council and confirming property ownership before entering into any transactions.

"Always be wary of offers that seem too good to be true," she said, emphasizing the need for due diligence to avoid falling victim to such scams.