Editor’s Note: This story has been updated from the Feb. 8 version, which mistakenly stated the property that was fraudulently put up for sale was Carolyn Lee’s home. That statement was wrong; the fraud was perpetuated on other property she owns in Columbia County. The Augusta Press regrets the error and is happy to make this correction.
An Evans homeowner was the victim of identity theft, part of a fraudulent attempt to put her house up for sale, according to a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office report.
On Jan. 17, Carolyn Lee called the Sheriff’s Office to respond to a “suspicious situation” regarding property she owns in Columbia County. Lee told the dispatched officer that her husband, Roy Lee, had gone to check on the property the previous day and found a person taking pictures of it.
Roy Lee asked this person what they were doing, and the subject replied that the property was up for sale by Carolyn Lee. The subject left when Roy Lee responded that the house was, in fact, not for sale.
An incident report from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office goes on to say that later that evening, Carolyn Lee searched her property’s address on Google to find it listed for sale. When she checked again the following morning, the property was listed as off the market, though it was still listed on a real estate page on Facebook.
The report also says that Carolyn Lee’s attempt to contact the listing broker, Bradley Real Estate Group, was to no avail. An agent with the real estate firm told the investigating officer that she had been in contact with an individual claiming to be Carolyn Lee who was aiming to sell the property, and that she had no other information on the subject.
Neither Carolyn Lee nor Bradley Real Estate Group would comment on the situation, though the group’s owner Antonio Bradley acknowledged that listings from fraudulent parties are not uncommon in the business.
The incident report noted that Carolyn and Ray Lee intend to pursue charges.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
