Sheriff: Man arrested in $35K Monroe County land scam has history of similar crimes

The suspect, Tommy Thomason, has a history of similar land scams in other counties. The victim is out $35,000, and deputies warn others to beware.

FORSYTH, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A North Atlanta man is out $35,000 after falling victim to a land scam in Monroe County, and deputies say the man responsible has a history of similar crimes.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office says 54-year-old Tommy Thomason is a repeat offender with a history of similar scams in other counties. However, this marks his first offense in Monroe County.

The victim, a 25-year-old man, believed he was purchasing a piece of land on Zellner Road in Forsyth. After making a cash payment, he soon felt like something was wrong and contacted the Monroe County Sheriff’s office, suspecting he had been scammed. 

“If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” Sheriff Brad Freeman said. 

An investigation by the sheriff’s office revealed that Thomason had sold the victim a property he did not own. Undercover officers arranged a meeting to confront Thomason alongside the victim.

“We set up a meet to go back there to look at the property, and we put an undercover officer out there to pose as a friend of the victim to, you know, want to just ask him questions about the property,” Freeman said. “Once the suspect showed up, he was taken into custody.”

Unfortunately for the victim, all $35,000 has reportedly been spent by Thomason. 

Kelvin Collins, the president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Central Georgia, says it’s important to make sure you do your due diligence.

“They want to give you the promise of purchasing land below market value at a quick closing and, you know, cash only,” he said. “Don’t agree to a quick sale done complicity online. Always choose your closing attorney and maintain control over the transaction. For anyone feeling targeted by a scam, resources are available at bbb.org for guidance and call your local law enforcement to make a report.”

Right now, Thomason is facing charges of theft by deception and is out on bond awaiting arraignment. The sheriff’s office has a dedicated victim services unit that can assist in recovering the lost funds if Thomason is convicted.