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  Geebo 8:00 am on May 1, 2024 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: deed transfer ( 13 ), forged title, real estate ( 127 ), Scams ( 1,354 ), title theft   

  Title Theft: The shocking crime robbing property owners blind 

  

  By Greg Collier

  In the heart of Houston, Texas, a tale of land theft has rattled the very foundations of property ownership. A landowner was recently devastated to learn that her cherished plot of land had been illicitly transferred to another party without her knowledge or consent.

  This story is not an isolated incident but rather a symptom of the growing criminal trend of title theft. This insidious form of fraud sees rightful property owners stripped of their assets, often resulting in substantial financial losses and profound emotional distress.

  Through a web of falsified documents, fake identities, and dishonest transactions spanning continents, these criminals exploit vulnerabilities in the property registration system to perpetrate their crimes. In the victim’s case, the paper trail led all the way to Austria, where a fake notary and fraudulent documents facilitated the transfer of her land to an unknown recipient.

  Efforts to combat title theft have been met with mixed success. Legislative measures aim to bolster protections for property owners by mandating stringent verification procedures for title transfers.

  County clerks play a pivotal role in safeguarding against title theft, with initiatives such as photo ID verification serving as crucial deterrents to fraudulent transactions. Yet, as evidenced by the victim’s ordeal, gaps in the enforcement of such measures persist, highlighting the need for greater collaboration between law enforcement agencies, legal professionals, and regulatory authorities.

  In the face of this ever-evolving threat, property owners are advised to take proactive steps to protect their assets. Utilizing resources such as property transaction alerts, offered by some county clerks, can provide an early warning system against unauthorized activities. Additionally, investing in title insurance and home title monitoring services can offer an added layer of security against potential losses resulting from title theft.

   

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  Geebo 8:00 am on March 24, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: deed transfer ( 13 ), deeds ( 7 ), forged title, real estate ( 127 ), Scams ( 1,354 )   

  Forged deed costs man his home 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Almost two weeks ago, we brought you the story of a man who was conned into signing over to someone who sold the home out from under him. But what if we told you your house could be sold without you even signing anything? That’s precisely what happened to a man in New Orleans.

  Much like the man from our previous story, this man lived in the home with his mother. After she passed away, he started renovating his home. While he was putting money into home improvements, someone forged the deed to his home and sold the man’s house.

  This wasn’t just a simple case of forging one signature to get possession of the home, either. Not only did the scammer forge the homeowners name, but the names of a notary and several witnesses were also forged. Additionally, the notary’s stamp was forged as well.

  One might assume that since both the homeowner and notary attest their signatures were forged, the man would be getting the deed to his home returned. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The homeowner is in the middle of legal proceedings to have the ownership of his home returned to him, and the legal costs to do so are not cheap.

  This kind of title scam could happen anywhere. We wish we could say there was an ironclad way to protect yourself from such a scam, but it depends on where you live. Some of the Parishes in Louisiana have a program where if the Parish receives any documentation bearing the homeowner’s name appears in their offices about their property, the homeowner will receive an email alert about it. Several counties across the U.S. have this service also, but not every county does.

  If you’re concerned about being scammed like this, check to see if your county has a program like this. If they don’t, consider getting in touch with your county and recommend it to them.

   
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  Geebo 10:00 am on February 21, 2018 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: forged title, Scams ( 1,354 ), used car ( 33 )   

  Beware buying a car with a phony title 

  

  When buying a used car online the main scams you had to worry about were either wiring money to a scam artist when the car doesn’t actually exist or buying a car that’s been stolen. Now a report is coming put of Texas that tells of a different elaborate scam that could leave you just as broke.

  According to the report, scammers are buying cars from junkyards that have been declared unrepairable and the car’s title is supposed to reflect this. Instead, the scammers get the cars running again and forge titles that say the cars are street worthy. They then list the cars for sale on less than reputable websites well below market value. Once the buyer takes the title to the DMV they find out that the car has been condemned, can not be driven on the street, and the only way the buyer can recoup some of their loss is to sell the car for parts.

  Remember, when purchasing a used car online, always be wary of a price that seems too good to be true. More often than not, those deals turn out to be scams. Before buying any car you should ask for the car’s VIN number and check it with one of the many services that provides a car’s history. Steps like this may take some extra time but in the long run will save you from losing thousands of dollars on a car that shouldn’t be on the market to begin with.

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