Estate and Property Fraud
What is an estate sale scam?
Short answer
Fraudulent estate sale companies that take a high commission (sometimes 40–50%), remove valuable items before the sale, or fail to pay the estate the proceeds. In California, estate sale companies are not licensed — there is no state oversight. Vet any estate…
What this usually means
Fraudulent estate sale companies that take a high commission (sometimes 40–50%), remove valuable items before the sale, or fail to pay the estate the proceeds. In California, estate sale companies are not licensed — there is no state oversight. Vet any estate sale company carefully: ask for references, get a contract, and ask specifically what commission they charge and how proceeds are paid.
What to do next
- Start the PathAfter checklist for situation-aware first steps.
- Find California county phone numbers for coroner, vital records, and local offices.
- Open the First 72 Hours Call Log before making calls.
- Open the Documents to Find Checklist when you are ready for paperwork.