Has anyone else had problems when selling your mineral rights with a company misrepresenting information and filing a contract you didn’t sign? A company contacted me to buy my rights. My dealings with them proved to be very problematic with serious red flags and questionable behaviors.
I found that the front page of my contract with them granting a limited amount of my rights had been swapped with a different page–not signed by or agreed to by me–when filed that granted them ALL my rights. I also discovered that, contrary to their representation to me and other family members, drilling was indeed currently happening with funds being held in suspense for us.
If anyone has gone through this, what are the steps to take to address the contract replacement?
Not sure what to do or where to look for help.
RUN, don’t walk to an attorney that can represent you in the state the minerals are located. This is fraud, I hope you saved a copy of the original contract with the appropriate amount you intended on selling.
Lesson here for others is that the first time you see a red flag or questionable behavior is the time to walk away from all interaction. Do not think the other party did this by accident or will change his ways. Do not respond to any further communications. Assuming the facts as presented, the biggest danger is that the purchaser will immediately sell the minerals to someone else, greatly complicating the chances of recovery of the minerals. Additional lesson is that it is the mineral owner’s responsibility to thoroughly research permits, drilling activity and wells and to determine whether there may be royalties in suspense or about to start. Never just accept someone’s word that there is nothing going on and no real value, but he still wanting to buy the minerals.
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