[Blueface]

As some may know, I am involved with many fraud scams.
I am involved in helping uncover them.

Here is the latest one to hit the market.
I just learned of how prevalent this is just a couple of week or so ago.
Now I run into this article on the FBI's website.

Be careful and beware of this.
In the cases I have become aware of/involved, the courts and local authorities are prosecuting and it looks like the rightful owners may very well be getting their homes back.
However, I am sure there may be a state or two out there that may not be as helpful come a matter like this.

http://www.fbi.gov/page2/march08/housestealing_032508.html

 

[TMoneYNYY]

Thanks for the heads-up, brotha. My sister is just buying her first home, so I'll pass this along to her.

I'm not sure why, but the title of this thread gave me a picture in my mind of someone walking into my house, staking a flag in the floor, and claiming it for their own!:chk

 

[pbrennan10]

Next week they'll post house stealing has gone up 300% since we posted this article, you really need to read it now.

 

[Blueface]

I'm not sure why, but the title of this thread gave me a picture in my mind of someone walking into my house, staking a flag in the floor, and claiming it for their own!:chk

Funny thing is it really is not too far off from this scenario.
They are practically doing that to you but behind the scenes, with your info.
In one case I was reviewing, it involved a very poor old lady in PA.
Poor woman indeed with what she went through.
She was fortunate to find a free legal aid service that jumped on it for her and are in the process of getting her home back for her.

What is frightening is how spread out it is all over the country.

 

[doctorcue]

I hate scum. Kind of like those Matrix movies talking about types of people in society... there will always be scum. Virus writers, scammers, other degenerates.

 

[D. Generate]

Leave us degenerates out of it!

But yeah, those guys are proper bastards.

 

[Ace$nyper]

I figured this stuff would start popping up soon.

Ick slime bags.

Thanks for the heads up though!

 

[Blueface]

NOTE:
There is no way to really prevent this but there is a way to catch it early on.
Most states provide online deed information to your property.
Just as you should be regularly monitoring your credit and accounts, do the same with your house.
Go online on a regular basis and verify no changes have taken place to your deed.
If you do find it, you will hopefully catch it early on and be able to get it reversed before any sales of your home takes place.

I forgot to mention, in one part of the country, the scammer sells the property immediately after getting the deed. The paper buyer could even be criminal friend locked up in jail or it could be an innocent buyer. Many ways around this.

 

[jloutlaw]

Thanks for the heads up. I've had my idientity stolen once and it took 6 months to straighten up my credit record. This would be even more of a nightmare.

 

[Mad Hatter]

They had a article on this on (probably) the ABC news a few months ago. Just another sign that nobody's sitting in the driver's seat. Thanks for posting.

 

[coffeemonkey]

Crazy world. Thanks for the tip.

Did anyone notice this from the article in the FBI site:

"If you receive a payment book or information from a mortgage company that's not yours, whether your name is on the envelope or not, don't just throw it away. Open it, figure out what it says, and follow up with the company that sent it."

Isn't it a felony to open someone else's mail? "The FBI said I could Judge!"

 

[Benjy]

It's from "a mortgage company that is not your mortgage company" not "a piece of mail from a mortgage company that is not your mail."

 

[coffeemonkey]

It's from "a mortgage company that is not your mortgage company" not "a piece of mail from a mortgage company that is not your mail."

"whether your name is on the envelope or not". If your name is not on the envelope, you are prohibited from opening, by law, as I understand it.