Marquise Branton Realtor HOMEOWNERS BE AWARE Tampa Florida

I’m writing to report a serious case of real estate fraud and identity theft involving property that I legally own.  Last year, I was contacted by law enforcement and told that a person been impersonating me in an attempt to sell my land through a realtor named Marquise Branton, based in Tampa. The listing was posted on Facebook, and from what I understand, the scam nearly went through.

Mr. Branton accomplices were posing as me, and asked to list my land for about half of its actual value.  In that time, Mr. Branton collected $18,500 from a buyer under completely false pretenses.

The scammer used a fake driver’s license with my name and driver’s license number, but a different person’s photo. The whole real estate transaction  included a disturbing amount of accurate information—my property address, the name and license number of the title officer, a scheduled closing date, and contact details that matched my real title company and realtor. Even the closing cost was accurate.

 I’ve worked hard my whole life, and to have someone steal my identity and nearly sell my land out from under me is beyond unsettling. If this had been processed at the county level, I could’ve lost the property without even knowing it.

Another fraud attempt on a separate lot down the road happened months later, same MO. It appears that this, too, is part of the same real estate scam—again involving the realtor Marquise Branton to steal people's lots. 

If the sale would of went thru, our attorneys advised that resolution could take up to two years of litigation.Warning others to prevent others from becoming victims of real estate fraud in Florida.