Manila, Philippines—“Check the authenticity of land titles by securing a certified true copy before any transaction,” Chief Inspector Rosalino Ibay Jr., chief of the Manila Police District-Intelligence and Operations Unit (MPD-DPIOU), told at least five scam victims of suspects Celesta Frogosa, 33; Josefina Lada, 59;  and Ma Leonisa Quiambao, 27, who were arrested last Thursday, October 22, for using fake land titles to offer properties for a mortgage, according to Inquirer.net.

The three suspects were arrested in an entrapment led by Ibay’s police officers, following a complaint from businesswoman Junnel Fajardo, 29, who met the fraudsters to pay an additional P200,000 in cash.

Fajardo already paid P550,000 and P200,000 on two separate occasions earlier.

A day before the entrapment, Fajardo told the police she found out that the two land titles the suspects gave her in exchange for two loaned properties in Tondo, Manila were fake upon checking with the Registry of Deeds.

“Sanglang-Tira,” a fake property-pawning modus operandi, involves scam artists who rent a house and then pose as real estate agents.  Using the identity of the real owners, a fake land title and ID cards, these scam artists offer the house for a mortgage to their unknowing victims.

“The suspects face charges for violations of Art 315 (Swindling Estafa) and Art 316 (other forms of swindling); Art 172 (Falsification by private individuals and used of falsified documents) and Art 178 or use of  a fictitious name and concealing true names),” Inquirer.net added.

Related Infographic: Five Real Estate Scams That You Should Know