If you are searching the internet or have been talking to a Las Vegas short sale realtor for more information on short sales, there’s one topic that doesn’t always come up that really should: short sale scams. Unfortunately, these are becoming more widespread as short sales become more common and the number of people that are looking to make an easy dollar increases.

Some short sale realtors have stated that their clients have received phone calls about their mortgage from scam artists, but a vast majority of the time they have been receiving letters in the mail. In the letter, the sender is acting as a consumer advocate and states they are there to assist distressed property owners. The letters are often claiming that the homeowner qualifies for a mortgage audit and a possible refund.

Short sale realtors that have seen these scam letters have stated that they look legitimate and hoped that homeowners would check with them before responding to the letter or taking any kind of action. Even if there is accurate information about your mortgage in the letter, it’s best to be wary of the authenticity of the letter. Many times when theses letters are sent to homeowners, the people that are sending them out don’t actually have any training in real estate or mortgage audits; they’re just looking to make some money off of homeowners that are already stressed out and not thinking straight. If you are unsure, you can either check with the Better Business Bureau or a Las Vegas short sale realtor.

With short sales becoming much more popular than they used to be, the huge number of lenders and servicers and an increasing amount of short sale incentive programs, it’s always best to play it on the safe side and consult with a professional short sale realtor before taking any sort of action on a piece of mail you receive. You don’t want to lose more money to a scam artist when you are already struggling financially.