![]() Our goal is to help you make smarter financial decisions by providing you with interactive tools and financial calculators, publishing original and objective content, by enabling you to conduct research and compare information for free - so that you can make financial decisions with confidence.īankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover. You can do this by visiting the county clerk’s office where your property is located to confirm the necessary facts about the property.We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. You can conduct a home title search by yourself. There are companies that will help you monitor your property, but it's a good idea to never rely completely on a third party to protect your assets. It’s advisable to monitor your property and assets proactively and pay even closer attention to the assets that may be targeted by current scams. (Legal action known as “quieting the title” may be required to resolve any questions about your ownership of the property.) Bottom line In New York City, for example, homeowners who think they are victims of deed fraud are urged to act quickly to report fraud to the city’s sheriff, get a certified copy of the fraudulent document from the city register’s office, report the crime to the district attorney’s office in the borough where the property is located, and consult an attorney to help confirm ownership of the property. If you experience or find something amiss, notify the register of deeds and local law enforcement. Visit a vacant house periodically to ensure that no one has taken up residence illegally. In your absence from your home, have mail forwarded or ask someone you trust to pick up mail or visit your home. The New York City department of finance advises homeowners to make sure the appropriate authorities have the correct mailing address for you or the person who should receive notices about your property. Register for free, and you’ll quickly receive an e-mail or text any time a document is recorded on your property. A trustworthy organization or individual will not ask you to transfer your property rights to themĮven better, many counties now provide a consumer notification service. Never turn over your deed or transfer ownership of your home to a mortgage assistance company. Never transfer ownership of your property.If you’re asked to pay for services up front, be suspicious It’s almost always illegal to ask for upfront fees for a loan modification. Legitimate organizations and individuals can only promise to work hard for you. Beware of guarantees or promises from companies or individuals that “guarantee” or “promise” that you will receive a loan modification or any other outcome with your mortgage.If you are in default or foreclosure, be skeptical of telephone or in person solicitations from strangers who promise they can deliver a loan modification or stop a foreclosure. Scam artists are preying on homeowners who are struggling to make payments on their mortgages. Scam targeting homeowners in default or foreclosure When they fail to make payments on a loan secured by your property, you could end up in foreclosure or be unable to sell, refinance or pass the home on to heirs. ![]() They then sell the home or borrow against it, stealing your equity. Armed with forged signatures and fake IDs, they file paperwork with the county’s register of deeds to transfer ownership of your property to themselves or a third party. ![]() The scheme works like this: Fraudsters pick out a house - often a second home, rental, vacation home or vacant house - to “steal.” Using personal information gleaned from the internet or elsewhere, they assume your identity or claim to represent you. “I suspect that companies that offer title-monitoring service use that as a marketing strategy,” says Jeremy Yohe, vice president of communications at the association. ![]() The American Land Title Association doesn’t have data on the problem, either. Is it a growing problem? That’s hard to know because the FBI doesn’t break it out separately in its crime statistics. ![]() Answer: In 2008, the FBI identified “house stealing” as the “latest scam on the block.” Since then, it has popped up periodically in cities such as Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York City and Philadelphia. ![]()
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