Category: Fraud
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Quitclaim Deed Fraud Spikes, Prompting Boston FBI Action and a New Law in Maine
In the real estate world, people continue to talk about an alert published by the Boston Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Its April alert flagged a spike in the improper use of quitclaim deeds. Why the spike? Certainly more boomers are leaving their homes, making theft easier to carry out. And perhaps more…
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Meanwhile, in Ohio…Seniors Get Warnings of Deed Wholesaling Scams
In Ohio, seniors are being warned of unexpected offers from real estate marketers who want to buy homes. The state’s Real Estate and Professional Licensing body as well as the Department of Aging and Richland County are all working to warn deed holders about the growing problem of wholesaling schemes. Older homeowners are impacted the…
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Modern Inconveniences: Remote Transactions and Deed Fraud
A CBS news outlet says online swindlers are “overwhelming county deed offices” throughout the state of Maine. Worse, it’s left targeted title owners scrambling to recover their properties. Many are forced to take their cases to the courts for quiet title actions. A senior FBI agent in Maine, Christopher Peavey, spoke with CBS Channel 13…
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First American Title Presents “Order Insights”: Real-Time Fraud Alerts for Deed Transfers
Fraudsters never rest. So it’s good to know that one of the major U.S. title companies is fortifying its security system to protect deed transactions from bad actors. First American Title, the well-known title insurance and settlement services firm, has introduced Order Insights. The company calls it a real-time, transaction-based fraud alert system. All agents…
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A Title Agent Turned Swindler? It’s Not Unheard Of.
Ryan Goodrich, now a convict, used to be a trusted deed expert. For years, Goodrich ran a title company. Behind the scenes, Goodrich stole millions of dollars from home sellers and buyers, their mortgage lenders, and even peers in the title industry, said Utah officials. The activity, they alleged, involved sending people falsified receipts for…
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When Your Fixer-Upper Isn’t Yours: The Struggle for Rent-to-Own Deed Rights
Maria and Enrique, a real couple with one young child, signed a contract for deed. They believed they were buying themselves a fixer-upper home. They restored the plumbing, electricity, heating and AC, and finally moved in. But when they felt ready to sell their fixed-up home, they were told their seller never fully owned it…
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Alert for Veterans: New VA Website Fights Housing Scams
Vets and family members can qualify for certain benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, including home loans. Some swindlers want to steal their glory. Members of the military, and their loved ones, are more likely than other households to become fraud targets. Now, Veterans Affairs officials are confronting the new wave of scams…
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Wire Fraud at Closing. Who’s on the Hook?
Over the past three years, wire fraud in home purchases has gone up sharply. Many victims are turning to court to seek damages after losing much of their life savings to the scammers involved. But who can they go after? The bank? An insurer? The title company? The agent? Some of the players (like banks…
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Say the F Word: Real Estate Agents Need to Warn Us About Fraud
No one wants to fall prey to scam artists. Better guidance from real estate agents would be a big help. After all, a staggering fifth of fraudulent money transfer requests pretend to be coming from real estate professionals. So, why aren’t clients getting stronger warnings?
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Now It’s the Deepfakes. Protect Deeds and Accounts From AI-Generated Imposters
Real estate transactions involve large money transfers. Creative swindlers love those. And now, progress in artificial intelligence (AI) brings new opportunities for real estate fraud. Shady actors are using real people’s voice or image samples to create recordings and persuade buyers and sellers to respond to questions with key information. Then the scammers hijack the…
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“Hustle Culture”: Is This the Trouble With the Housing Market?
Some people are fed up with the “hustlers” of the U.S. real estate market. They criticize celebrity investors such as Grant Cardone, the host of a podcast titled “This Is Not Your Daddy’s Economy,” accusing him of promoting a get-rich-quick philosophy that exposes small investors to extreme risk.but the The hustle mentality in general, they…
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“Unlicensed Appraisal” and Other Stories: How Scam Artists Chase Disaster Victims
After Tropical Storm Hilary blasted the Baja and San Diego regions in mid-August, the Federal Trade Commission urged people to watch for a surge in rip-offs. Opportunists may say they’re performing appraisals, but unless they are licensed appraisers, they lack professional accountability. If they’re improperly doing the work of adjusters, they might be violating state…
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Insurance Fraud: Homeowners Can Be Victims or Perpetrators
Whether it’s a homeowner’s title insurance policy, or a home/condo owner’s policy, no homeowner wants to be involved with apparent fraud. The potential consequences are serious. Although most criminal and real estate laws are established by the states, insurance fraud can implicate federal charges, like wire fraud, mail fraud, forgery, impersonation, and conspiracy. Let’s look…
