Page 1 - Van Wig & Associates Newsletter, Lakewood Edge ~ October 2019 Issue

DEED FRAUD: LOSING YOUR HOME

WITH THE STROKE OF A PEN

by Jane Whitten mortgage payment–due notice. the right to have a free copy of
The worst and most startling your credit report from each of
ne little known aspect evidence is when a homeowner the three major credit reporting
of identity theft is receives a notice of default or agencies. Simply leverage this
O deed fraud. Deed fraud foreclosure and the mortgage is free report by applying once
occurs when someone steals current or paid off. every four months, consecutively,
your identity, forges your name to the three bureaus, Equifax,
on a deed, and takes title to your HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN? Experian, and TransUnion. You
home. While it may seem that it Deed Fraud and Title theft can get your free credit reports
should be a simple matter to get is when somebody uses a false through AnnualCreditReport.com.
your home back after becoming identity to change ownership
a victim of deed fraud, nothing on your property title from your 2. CHECK THE STATUS
in the law is very simple. name to their name and then OF YOUR DEED
secures as many loans as possible Local registries of deeds year in fighting potential real
WHOM DO THESE THIEVES using your equity as collateral. across the United States may be estate fraud. A recent survey
TYPICALLY TARGET AND This is often done with a notary accessed online. If this is true for sent along with notifications
WHAT ARE THE CLUES THAT to whom the perpetrator gave your local registry, you should show more than 96 percent of
IT HAS HAPPENED?
false identification documents
ALLISON VAN WIG Many times, targets are older during the signing of the deed. regularly check on the status of homeowners approve of the
your deed to confirm that no program.
CA DRE #00985700 property owners because they WHAT CAN YOU DO TO one has done anything affecting Contact the Department of
562-882-1581 homes. A missing property tax bill PROTECT YOURSELF AND your property ownership. Some Consumer and Business Affairs
usually have a lot of equity in their
registries of deeds even have at (800) 593-8222 to receive
WWW.SUPERBROKER.COM or a tax bill on a second property, YOUR PROPERTY? services whereby you will be more information and to register
a vacation home or investment
notified when actions are done for the Homeowner Notification
ALLISON@SUPERBROKER.COM properties are all clues. 1. MONITOR YOUR CREDIT that affect your property. Program. To reach the Registrar-
Other clues may include a REPORTS
notice for an unpaid water bill, a Federal law provides you with Here in California The Recorder/County Clerk, call
Department of Consumer (800) 201-8999, option 2 or visit
and Business Affairs operates lavote.net where you can also file
the Homeowner Notification a complaint.
Program. Once you are One more avenue of help: If
registered the Los Angeles you need assistance of any kind
County Registrar–Recorder’s in registering for this program
office, they will send you copies and would like a quick check
of documents recorded against to make sure the Tax Records
your home. This gives you a indicate you are the legal
chance to review the real estate owner of your home, just give
documents to be sure they are Allison Van Wig a call or send
legitimate. an email. She can pull those
Los Angeles County sends records from the tax rolls and
hundreds of thousands of the title company to give you
notifications out each year. the information you need. She
More than 10,000 homeowners can be reached at 562-882-1581
contact DCBA for help each or Allison@SuperBroker.com. n

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE - OCTOBER 2019

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