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FBI Warns on "House Stealing" Scams

A new "house stealing" scam -- combining the crimes of identity theft and mortgage fraud -- is victimizing homeowners, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warns. In a typical "house stealing" scam, a con artist: 1) chooses a house, whether a year-round residence or vacation home, 2) steals the homeowner's identity by obtaining their personal information and creating fake identification documents, and 3) obtains property transfer forms and transfers the house deed into their name by forging signatures and using the fake ID documents. The FBI is advising homeowners to carefully inspect any mail from a mortgage company other than their own, and to periodically check all information pertaining to their house through the local county deeds office.

• House Stealing: The Latest Scam on the Block (FBI.gov)
• More Information from the FBI: Identity Theft | Mortgage Fraud
• Identity Theft FAQ (FindLaw)
• Mortgages and Loans (FindLaw)

Full post as published by FindLaw's Common Law on March 27, 2008 (boomark / email).