MAYVILLE, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Chautauqua County Clerk's Office is warning residents of a possible residential property scam.
Chautauqua County Clerk Larry Barmore issued a warning Wednesday after residents across the county reported unsolicited offers via U.S. Mail to purchase property owned by them.
"The company is called Admiral Realty LLC and is owned by Donald Kidd of Miami, Florida," Barmore said in a statement. "to the best of my knowledge, the offer is being made on the property, sight unseen. They send you an offer to purchase that is very generous and ask to have it signed and returned within three days or the offer is rescinded."
Barmore has said that the company says a representative will contact the homeowner with needed paperwork to sign before a certified check is issued.
"I checked out county recordings and found no property owned by Admiral Realty LLC in Chautauqua County," Barmore said. "I canvased my fellow county clerks and found that none of them have heard of Admiral Realty LLC nor do they have any properties in their counties owned by them."
The company has both a Facebook and LinkedIn page, with limited information. According to Barmore, there are several other legitimate companies with similar names that could lead someone to believe this is a genuine company.
"From what the County Clerk's office has uncovered, it is our belief that this is not a legitimate company or offer, and one would wise to throw the offer in the trash," Barmore said. "What confuses some people is the offer of a certified check upon signing. A certified check is easier to forge than a twenty-dollar bill and most of the forgeries are drawn on banks that do not exist. Our advice, when in doubt, throw it out."
