Fraud in the real estate industry can occur in various ways. Common examples of fraud include: housing fraud, rental fraud and undermining. Homes are increasingly being sublet or re-let. If Haagsch Recherchebureau sees that there are more and more uninhabited buildings and places to stay where criminal activities take place. The real estate industry is sensitive to this type of undermining crime, partly due to inadequate screenings, high returns and low chances of being caught. Legislation and regulations also play an important role in this. For example, the privacy legislation prevents the exchange of information between parties. This gives fraudsters free rein in the housing markets due to anonymity and financial attractiveness.
In an investigation into subversive crime and housing fraud, the Haagsch Detective Office is investigating. The combination of highly trained detectives and an extensive range of various specialist tools means that we can carry out unprecedented investigations into subversive crime.
Indeed, organized, undermining crime consists of various types of activities. In these activities, they make use of the existing social order and structure. As a result, brokers in the real estate industry can contribute both consciously and unconsciously to undermining rental and owner-occupied homes by ignoring signals, carrying out incorrect screenings, coercion or extortion and letting too many people live in homes.
Legal businesses and homes are then made available to facilitate illegal activities such as the trade in (soft) drugs, human trafficking, illegal prostitution and money laundering. For example, organizations and other landlords are confronted with tenants who house a drug lab or house stolen goods and criminals. The impact of this on society is expressed in the form of excessive violence that not only affects parties involved, but also bystanders and unintended victims.
By housing and rental fraud, we mean various types of scams involving unlawful rental and occupancy. It is a collective name for various types of scams in the real estate industry. In particular, unlawful (sub) tenancy is more often associated with rental fraud in contracts and identity fraud. On the outside of a home, it is not always possible to see what is going on inside. But it is possible to be aware of activities and signals around the neighborhood that suggest illegal actions.
Municipalities have a lot of information, but are not aware of activities that signal housing and rental fraud. Alternating registrations at the same address within a short period of time can, for example, indicate human trafficking. Companies where no customers visit, but where expensive cars are regularly parked at their door, can point to money laundering. Dirty chemical smells can indicate drug labs. And houses where unknown people walk in and out late into the night can lead to unsafe and violent situations in and around the neighborhood. Of course, this does not always have to be the case, but these are signals that must be taken into account.
Desk staff, enforcers and licensing officers as well as local residents and government agencies play a major role in recognizing these signals. They are the eyes and ears in a municipality or neighborhood. Recognizing these signals is one thing, but this will not solve the problem. It is important to report these signals to a nearby hotline. This can usually be done by the police. Report Crime Anonymously via 0800 — 7000 (free) or online.
In the case of an anonymous report, no evidence is required. Anyone can make a report. The municipality or the police will then investigate. Housing associations and landlords can also start an investigation themselves by calling in private agencies, such as the Haagsch Detective Office.
Undermining activities and fraud in the real estate industry must be tackled more effectively. To combat crime in this regard, landlords, buildings, municipalities and governments should take preventive measures to ban these activities. They play a major role in identifying these activities. It starts with the rental industry. It provides information about signals and the consequences of rogue tenants & undermining crime to citizens, mediators and home owners. The Real Estate Agents carry out pre-intake screenings and employees of housing associations and other private organizations monitor the neighborhood or start an investigation. Unfortunately, housing associations are not always able to carry out extensive research due to the shortage of resources and time. More resources and opportunities should therefore be made available to carry out, for example, good screenings, operations and information exchanges.
Do you suspect housing fraud, rental fraud or undermining at an address? In an investigation into illegal activities in the housing market, the Haagsch Detective Office conducts research out through Tactical and Digital Research through the use of various means. This includes communication tools, drones, postal vehicles and hidden or thermal imaging cameras, so that the research can be carried out efficiently. Drone and camera images, for example, can be viewed in real time, so that the operation can be adjusted remotely.
We will then determine who the actual occupant of a building is, where the main tenant resides and whether this building may involve subletting, cannabis cultivation, prostitution or other forms of fraud and undermining.
We are happy to advise you without obligation and completely free of charge, after all, every case is different. We can well imagine that you find it exciting to hire a detective agency, after all, you don't do that every day. An informal one consultation therefore, if necessary, takes place on neutral terrain and contact is via the preferred channel. This so that the other party does not get any of the contact you have with us.
