Sanford police link driveway removal scam to Nigeria-based fraud scheme

Sanford police linked the removal of Luz Lenzi’s driveway to a fraud operation tied to Nigeria. Lenzi had a crack repaired in her Sanford driveway in February, then later learned the entire drive had been torn out without her approval.

Someone claiming to represent a real estate company hired a contractor to do the work. The contractor stopped after a $15,000 check bounced, and the payment came from SOIL Realty LLC, which was listed in New Mexico. The contractor never met the supposed client in person and never pulled a permit.

Investigators subpoenaed bank records and requested Google records tied to the email address used in the transaction. That trail led to internet addresses in Nigeria, and the scheme was designed to pressure or shake down the contractor for money. Lenzi’s house was used because it was already on the market, making the address easier to exploit. Lenzi was selling the Sanford home to help fund her retirement, and the contractor is now reimbursing her for the repairs.

A second crew later ripped out the entire driveway and left piles of gravel behind, and the repair bill was expected to run about $5,000. The case involved multiple contracts and financial transactions, and officers are waiting on records from companies involved in the deal.

Driveway and asphalt paving scams remain a recurring problem. Fake-check schemes often work by getting victims to deposit a check and send money back before the bank discovers the check is bad. The FTC said U.S. consumers reported losing more than $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, a 25% increase from 2023, and filed 6.5 million consumer reports that year.

Seminole County residents can also sign up for the free Property Fraud Alert service through the Seminole County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller to watch for suspicious activity in official records.