Dominican authorities hold forum in New York to combat real estate scams

New York.- The Dominican Republic’s Ombudsman and Consulate in New York hosted a forum titled “Protecting the Dominican Dream: Preventing Real Estate Scams for the Dominican Community Abroad,” aimed at raising awareness and offering tools to help Dominicans living in the U.S. avoid fraudulent property deals. The event, held in Washington Heights, highlighted the growing number of scams affecting foreign buyers, with data from Pro Consumidor and the DGII revealing that 5% to 8% of overseas real estate purchases are compromised by fraud.

Ombudsman Pablo Ulloa described the emotional and financial toll these scams take, noting that victims often face identity theft, duplicate property sales, illegal titles, and abandoned projects. Consul General Jesús Vásquez stressed the importance of collaboration between institutions to protect the hard-earned investments of the Dominican diaspora. In support of this effort, Minister of Housing Carlos Bonilla introduced a digital tool developed to detect and prevent real estate fraud.

The forum included a panel discussion with key figures from the public and private sectors, including senators, real estate experts, and banking representatives. Speakers shared initiatives to increase transparency and strengthen legal protections. Sponsored by major government agencies and industry associations, the event marks a significant step in protecting Dominicans abroad from real estate fraud while encouraging reform and regulation in the housing sector.