Dunedin man discovers his house stolen through deed fraud

[@Jillian60]

This has been going on for decades. Municipalities that allow these fraud transactions should also be held accountable.

[@amberb8876]

Counties in Florida that do not offer free Title or Deed fraud alert notifications in place are indeed negligent. Dade county is one of the biggest culprits. With all of the resources they have you'd think that county would be leading in that area. Thankfully there are counties in Florida who have put fraud alert notifications in place anytime there is any type of change requested having to do with your property.

[@Hurkuhntreeks]

It’s their relatives doing the criminal stuff. They’re all in on it 😮😮😮

[@soulfoodforthought9225]

They won’t because they work together.

[@ThatsSheShe]

You are so right. They are suppose to be there to protect the public who pay them thru tax dollars. But they accept bribes and turn their heads to the truth.

[@TRUTHandLIGHT4809]

Cannot record a deed unless it's ORIGINAL. County is responsible for this fraud

[@smartanajones4u]

If you have to show ID to buy liquor or tobacco you should have to show ID, and several other form of identification to change a deed. This is ridiculous and pathetic on the county’s part

[@T..1147]

It should be that buyer and seller have to come do the paperwork

[@tonyalston4838]

That's what the notary is for. I'd like to know how he got a fake stamp

[@HoneyHoneyBaby]

​@@tonyalston4838 Right 🤔 Do you think the notary might have been working with him on these scams??

[@bigvalley4987]

@@HoneyHoneyBaby , This sound like a inside job.

[@MalluStyleMultiMedia]

Recently I bought a very small property for cash. Closing was done and everything but nobody asked for my ID anywhere in the process. 🤔

[@kellyshomemadekitchen]

So glad this fellow didn’t lose his home!

[@alphaomega1351]

The good 👍 thing is that I own it now. 😶

[@kellyshomemadekitchen]

@@alphaomega1351 why is that?

[@feldman30012]

Florida of course. Just like that scam of turning people into renters in their own homes.

[@andreaberryman5354]

Sounds like he had title insurance like I do-that's what it is for. You file a claim and the company pays attorney fees to defend your title. You don't have to leave your home even if a fraudster seeks eviction and calls the cops. You have mailed (for time-stamped proof of your address) insurance policy paperwork to show law enforcement. You simply call your company immediately and make a claim against them on the spot.

[@Talkswithtee302]

@@alphaomega1351 huh 🤔

[@moa8121]

That deed thief should be prosecuted and spend the rest of his life in prison!

[@costak7679]

Or he can write an award winning film or show and get only 8-10 years for good behavior and/or helping law enforcement solve crimes. Tampa, FL has Matt Cox who did exactly that.

[@judytullos9889]

He looks like an opioid abuser, in a prison of his own making. Father Time will put a spell on him.

[@tomr3422]

its florida - if you lock up everyone that is a criminal - what will the gators eat - Florida where America really needs to build a wall to keep the murders, rapist and pedos in

[@JD-tg5ib]

Prison is too good for him.

[@andrej2375]

Not life though!

[@mignonmignon3029]

You sign so many papers to buy a house, checking bank accounts, and so much more. But someone can make a fake deed and just like that own your home. Our systems are broken.

[@TXVivir]

I was just thinking this exact same thing! Yikes! I signed most of the paperwork via electronic signature for the purchase of our home. However, there did come various moments when I was required to show up in person to sign. Including the day of sealing the deal through the real estate attorney. This is worrisome!

[@ThatsSheShe]

It happened to me in 2008 and they took my home of 20 years. They had several loan docs made and in the end they forged my name. Even tho I was able to prove it the judge told me they knew what they were doing but their hands were tied. So they let them take my home. At that time the courts were making money off of the foreclosure filings, brokers were making money off of selling your home to the investor and the investors would resale your home to someone else. They got away with everything in the same way thru electronic filing. By the time you found out what was going on your home had changed so many hands. And they even offered a service called NACA at that time to help stall the process they would tell you that they were going to help you save your home only to keep stalling the process. Doing the same thing saying they were not getting you faxed documents. They were supposed to be helping but only helped to get you further behind. We just live in a crooked system where people will do anything for the love of money.

[@amberb8876]

@@ThatsSheShe wow so sorry to hear that. May I ask, what tipped you off that your home ha been sold?

[@ThatsSheShe]

@@amberb8876 it was supposed to be a fixed rate loan. But I got a notice that my note was going up. When I tried to find out why I tried to get in contact with my loan broker and couldn't reach her. The people who now had the loan stated that that was the agreement. That's when I started looking into my loan docs. And found my original papers in which I had signed. But then in my paperwork I ended up finding several different sets of loan docs..But the final set that they put thru was not my signature but was forged and you could clearly tell it was not my signature. That was the one where my interest rate was changed and my income on that one was 3 times the amount of the one I had. And as I said by the time I realized what was going on my home had been sold and passed thru many different investors. The broker was nowhere to be found. I trusted the loan broker that did my loan. But I must say Now I'm not as trusting as before. You really don't understand how something feels until you go thru it. I ended up homeless for years after I lost my home. Because of credit issues.

[@sunlight4169]

We should be allowed to freeze our home title from transfers of title like we can freeze our credit reports - this is crazy and should never happen !

[@StopListenThink]

The stealing of people homes is starting to become ridiculous specially the elderly. People that do this need to be held accountable and put in prison for a very long time they know they were doing wrong.

[@veev2561]

They are working from prison with others

[@navyjohnes]

Each county should have alerts. Even though I have alerts, I still check randomly, to quarterly. Ironically, I did a random check and somehow my alert and login feature disappeared. I contacted the county, I was informed that the website was being reestablished. So now I need to check monthly for the rest of my life, lol - - it may be even daily

[@danielmorse4213]

R. O. P. E.

[@iasiaware3797]

Only the elderly have property 🤦🏽‍♀️ if you go back 30 years blacks didn't own much and the property they did own was stolen 100 years prior to be given to those who came almost by the Titanic and other ships😩✌🏿

[@navyjohnes]

@@iasiaware3797 exactly.

[@suzannefronzaglio2427]

He built himself a beautiful house, all of his sweat and tears went into that place. The pride of doing it all yourself, just to have some thief try to rob you of it!!!

[@sheilastahl633]

So glad he was able to get the house back and not damaged by these thieves moving in. He did a great job. And it's beautiful.

[@grazful1]

This was not an owner problem.. this is a county problem.. I work for the county and we just don't accept documents... we have a verification process in place even if you file on line.. that whole transaction is ridiculous! Other people are working with that guy! He gave kick backs to people along the way

[@shaymay2892]

☝🏿

[@arlenepeter6095]

Agree

[@RAralar]

That’s what I was thinking. Title lock insurance apparently doesn’t really work.

[@mistervo8185]

The online deed process needs to end now.

[@StopListenThink]

I miss when the prisons had hard work labor camps for people just like this guy

[@Benny-ye7ro]

I prefer “old sparky”. The electric chair….

[@johnwoa]

@@Benny-ye7ro Prior to 1913 in Florida, counties such as Pasco County conducted hangings at the Dade City Courthouse.

[@bettyjmatthews4338]

​@@Benny-ye7ro ²¹

[@MissPepperss]

I miss when people were beheaded for crimes.

[@kellyshomemadekitchen]

@@MissPepperss 🤣🤣🤣

[@OGC1970]

That guy is the epitome of why America is awesome. Glad it worked out for him in the end.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

You can't tell a person's morality by their skin colour.

[@creeper8647]

Skin color? Sorry, I didn't notice. I was distracted by the words he was saying. I've got to bear down harder on this racism thing, I guess. I don't seem to be doing it right.

[@Beyt_El]

@@creeper8647 LOVE THIS! 😂

[@rhondak7547]

He got lucky . .it's great things worked out for him but for many others housing matters are completely unfair and leave many people/families broken hearted disappointed and on the street

[@rebeccabejenaru]

@Rhonda K probably the timing. If it was longer, BET he'd been packing and moving. This man saved other people as well. 💕

[@kahalak8171]

That piece of slime needs to be in prison - to take from another person is horrible - I understand if one is hungry and desperate for food, but to be this greedy and victimize people for personal gain is disgusting. Karma will catch up to him. I am so glad this man did not lose his home - kudos to him for doing lots of the work himself to build it.

[@davysmith8569]

hes a straight up crook, but the courthouse is really scary. They just let anyone forge docs and call it a day, thats the really scary part. Just another thing to worry about in life now

[@JohnS-er7jh]

Another reason I don't think certain filings / transactions (real estate) should be allowed to take place remotely. If the seller / buyer wants to do this remotely, they should be legally obligated to hire a Local qualified attorney that can appear in person to file any forms at government agencies (and it should be required the attorney signs off on it as well), along with a Security Bond, so then the attorney will be on the hook instead (for not doing their own due dilegience before filing the paperwork from a real estate scammer). That would put an end to this nonsense for good.

[@missalphaomegagod-2u]

That’s a wonderful set of ideas/security

[@paulo7200]

Also posting all County Recorder documents on the internet should stop. This only benefits thieves and incels who want to dig up dirt on their neighbors.

[@diannacasey4081]

They need to STOP doing this online, there must be some form of ID and proof shown from now on!!

[@Jstwatching]

Exactly! You’d think that was common sense!

[@altha-rf1et]

Someone stole our information took a 30,000 loan out on our house we went to the bank and they said how do we know that you did not do it, I said where was the money taken from and when. She said Miami Florida yesterday at 2:00 pm I started laughing, I said well I got the best witness that can prove it was not me, She said who? I said You and the guy standing next to you. I was here right at 2:00 pm putting money in my account also got my receipt and you got cameras here as well

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

That's SOME effing NERVE! That reminds me of going to CVS to get a script and having them tell me someone already picked it up and I'd have to come back!! I said, just b/c you don't bother to check ID, not my friggin problem! Filed a police report. They did nothing, as usual. I don't go to CVS.

[@shaymay2892]

Oh my God! That's embarrassing! 🤦🏿‍♀️🤦🏿‍♀️🤦🏿‍♀️ "How do we know it wasnt you?"

[@sinebar]

That sounds like something a bank would do. Blame the victim!

[@catherinesanchez1185]

@@sinebar Not arguing for banks cuz they can be jerks, BUT BUT BUT ...there are people who do this. They get in desperate or not so desperate situations , run up a bunch of debt , then try to say it wasn't them to get out of paying it. I used to do this for a very large credit card company. The collections dept would send me all the claims of fraud and I would review them to see if there was enough info to warrant an investigation. I sent over half of them back cuz it was so obvious it was the customer doing it. I had people who would charge up their cards every christmas then claim their card was stolen so they could get themselves a free christmas. Hang on to your paperwork, check your credit regularly and put a freeze on it if you think you've been a victim of ID theft especially cuz thats the worst.

[@supadave3210]

I would have told her bitch I know it wasn’t me because I’m still broke😂

[@jimihendrix1575]

When buying a house, you spend an hour or more, signing and initialing dozens of documents, yet a CRIMINAL can do it ONLINE? It seems this could be stopped simply by having to appear IN PERSON, with proper documentation and proof of your identity in hand. There is no reason this sort of thing should be happening. It is just LAZINESS on the county's part.

[@user-kb6wd5it4z]

It's sad, but they can appear at the county or city offices with fake IDs, too.

[@7u655]

Alert the county??? The county needs to alert the police then the homeowner! This is the city’s lack of responsibility! Tired of seeing these fraudulent cases with builders running away with peoples money and not finishing projects that had to be filed with the city. City do something this is literally your welfare with homebuyers that will pay taxes to your state a create infrastructure.

[@jlorde8838]

Police can't do anything about it.

[@sunlight4169]

We should be allowed to freeze our home title from transfers of title like we can freeze our credit reports - this is crazy and should never happen !Reply

[@jlorde8838]

@@sunlight4169 I heard you can but most don't think about it.

[@wb1738]

Those builders should post a million bond with the courts before they start a project or the county should be accountable for any type of fraudulent activities going on in their counties

[@dahby2724]

Blessings to this hard working man

[@thecheshirecat299]

Seems like the county were accomplices… also really reporter the key is to find out right away… smh are we to check with the county every day to make sure no one filed a second deed .. wow

[@SunnyandNova]

This is a loophole for the times when whites would just steal blacks homes with the backing of the government

[@JimsEquipmentShed]

Yup, no way that someone there isn’t dirty.

[@missspencer7744]

This man is amazing. Inspirational. Hardworking. A phenomenal man.

[@sveronih5376]

So glad this hardworking gentleman got the house back!!

[@classicredwine]

Thank God he got his house back, so many times the people don’t get a good outcome. I’m going to start checking the records on my home more often. Thank you for sharing

[@wb1738]

Property owners should do a property search to make sure they are the owner of record for the property they own because anything can happen when you are not checking online with the Property Appraisers in your areas.

[@carikshawn4201]

They need to put into place that if there is a deed being changed, the people whose name is on original deed need to be contacted by mail, phone, email, text before it is processed. I never heard of this before a few months ago and was horrified but now, no one should ever have a home stolen from them no matter what age. Glad this gentleman was able to stop this. Hope others are as well.

[@mustolourien5823]

Let's appreciate that guy for building his house brick. It's beautiful.

[@commonsense6611]

Deed fraud via the internet, now that it has been exposed, should never happen again. Since it is likely widespread, and not just occurring in one county, the state legislature needs to put some kind of safety guard process in place. If they can address and prevent electronic election fraud, they should be able to address and protect homeowners. Just saying...

[@breathless8075]

Where have they prevented electronic voter fraud?????

[@commodoresixfour7478]

You would think this would have stopped during the mortgage crisis of 2007.

[@amberb8876]

@@breathless8075 Whether they have or haven't, the same energy, time and money trying to address and prevent it, should be used to address and prevent property theft by the state legislature. Don't you think?

[@breathless8075]

@@amberb8876 I think they get paid enough to walk and chew gum at the same time. And we pay for each of them to have their own staff too!!! So yes, I think they should be doing their damn job. That's what we elected and pay them for 💯‼️🤔😡

[@sunlight4169]

We should be allowed to freeze our home title from transfers of title like we can freeze our credit reports - this is crazy and should never happen !

[@lightonewhitelight1017]

Thank you for making the home deed fraud segment 👑

[@fonda7760]

So glad he was able to obtain rightful ownership. A sad case: husband and wife lived in their home for 20 years. Husband works to pay off the remaining mortgage so his elderly wife would not have that to deal with after his transitioning. Three months after his death, she receives notice the home has been sold and has to vacate the premises. Heartbroken, feeling defeated and frustrated, she pulled the deletion trigger on herself. I cried over this situation. Later discovered it was a bogus lender and bogus real estate agent and bogus notary! Yet she’s gone over these sharks. There were several other cases of attempted home thieves back East. Just criminal period!

[@WeAllWeGot333]

She was a weak woman she should of toughened up

[@Retrograde_cat]

Remember that when you're 80, incontinent and senile.

[@WeAllWeGot333]

@@Retrograde_cat The mafia bosses were running stuff by that age and Joe Biden is the president and can’t even complete a sentence

[@shrinkingviolet3]

@@WeAllWeGot333 Maybe depression hit her hard. She had lost her husband too, remember?

[@calidreams5379]

This should sound the alarm the systems we have in place are easily manipulated and vulnerable. They need to implement more secure systems so it’s not possible steal a house so easily.

[@amberb8876]

It goes to show who really gets paid from crime and it's not the ordinary, hard working citizens

[@slk1352]

I'm glad he got his home back

[@detzlerangela]

There is obviously no protection for a home owner. Why should the home owner have to do all the investigation and paper work to figure out if their home is at risk. The countys need to have a security measures in place and use them. Then if something is flagged the home owners and police need to be alerted. The county needs to be responsible for their paperwork negligence as well. And this guy needs to be in prison working for free making licence plates for a couple decades.

[@foxbuns]

why was it so easy for this dude to submit and be approved with fake documents?

[@neasiabird4642]

Imagine these kinds of things happen in the US that has all the answers on how to "help/protect" everybody else and they can't do it for their own citizens. 🤦🏽‍♀️ To steal someone's home should consist of much more effort than forged online signatures.

[@robertp3124]

This hard working gentleman should not have to worry about something like this happening. The bank should be responsible for not doing their due diligence. I'm glad he kept the house but what about those who are not so lucky...

[@lshepherd6137]

It’s ridiculous. Even in Calif the assessors will record any lien , mechanics lien or deed asking for no identification at the clerks desk. Yes you can sign up for alerts that notify you if a recording takes place, and the clerk says it’s automatic, however if you are hospitalized or out of the country, ect for a long period and miss that notification….

[@alphaomega1351]

In other words, why not require identity. Unbelievable, we make it so easy for the crooks. 😶

[@sue8237]

Sadly, these warning pieces and videos are likely going to increase this crime as thieves watch them and see exactly and how easy it is to do.

[@tojo1702]

This happened to my mom and I! We haven't been able to get help with the situation and they came and changed the locks while we were at a court date for the property... My mom's home wound up being up for auction and my mom caught it in time to take it off. My mom didn't have a mortgage she had to pay anymore.

[@believensee8621]

Sending you and your mom prayers that you prevail. 🙏

[@tameraalvarez6438]

I would burn it down first! And if the theives rebuild.. I'd burn it again!

[@oliviapowers8280]

Oh My God!!

[@trinasmith4326]

Contact media. Cnn. Fox. Big news networks.That sounds sensational enough to be on the news.

[@Nicole2023]

Prayers that you guys get Justice

[@NotfromDetroit]

How does city let someone change the deed like that online? That’s the problem!

[@daniellewilliams2221]

This was my exact thoughts

[@NotfromDetroit]

@@daniellewilliams2221 Whoever came up with that app or idea needs to be fired! They might be a scammer!

[@daniellewilliams2221]

@@NotfromDetroit facts and they putting other scammers on. We are doomed

[@NotfromDetroit]

@@daniellewilliams2221 DOOMED!!! It’s hard to get a house and easy to get snatched away!

[@Jenvlogs404]

He didn’t have deed insurance I think, and a one time fee

[@frankm8533]

Squatters moved into my aunts condo in FL police were no help we went there kicked in the door and threw them out took 30 minutes after dealing with authorities for weeks that were no help

[@happycook6737]

Awesome!

[@shrinkingviolet3]

I heard some jurisdictions will side with the squatters.

[@NewAccountWhoDis]

We have a cousin that isnt really part of us that did this. He was house-sitting and sold it! He did showings and everything! He then tried selling his sisters car! Lol

[@altha-rf1et]

Got family members like that I do not even go to family get togethers if he shows up I lve

[@louniece1650]

Well dayuuum!!!

[@alphaomega1351]

Your cousin is an evil 😈 doer! 😶

[@candyDander]

Wow, that's so heartless!

[@amberb8876]

Saw a news report of a tenant who almost got away with selling his landlord's home. The only reason he wasn't successful is because there was one lien outstanding on the home. The title company called the landlord to inform the landlord about addressing the lien before attempting to sell the home. Otherwise the tenant would have been able to successfully sell the home.

[@classicredwine]

Just a FYI people, after watching this, I checked my county website here in TX and they also have an alert system so definitely check and sign up for alerts. I’m going to get all of my family members to sign up too!

[@TL-wy1nk]

Wow, that is unbelievable. The state needs to prosecute these people to oblivion.

[@nephetula]

Make the penalty for "deed fraud" a mandatory 20 years in prison! (See how easy it is fix problems like this?)

[@herbertscott9575]

Do not buy a house in your name. I know we were all programmed to have "pride of ownership" but that's not the smart thing to do in todays world. You should create and hold your property in a trust. The home should be a separate LLC inside of that trust. This does several things, it shields you from low level scrapers looking to find victims and it creates added layers of protection via non public paperwork. All a criminal has to do is forge your name if you put a home in your name and its in the public record. If the property is being held in trust, and its a randomly named LLC... it is harder to find that name, and therefore harder to forge documents with accuracy. The criminal here took no chances and forged people who had an easy 1:1 exposure and simply forged their legal name. Seek legal counsel on this and always use a title company.

[@moewilson4605]

Alerts are a good idea but how about having a better system of authentication of the person filling out forms and signing things. I get the convenience of online but perhaps a final in person step should be taken, like both buyer, seller and realtor producing ID that is double checked by an official. I guess that would actually involve work.

[@sunlight4169]

We should be allowed to freeze our home title from transfers of title like we can freeze our credit reports - this is crazy and should never happen!.

[@janicescott-pair97]

Wow, I'm shocked to learn that they allowed the deed transfer online.

[@HoneyHoneyBaby]

Right 😳

[@Skinnithegreat]

Easier to steal a home then get a loan for one .

[@sunlight4169]

We should be allowed to freeze our home title from transfers of title like we can freeze our credit reports - this is crazy and should never happen !

[@ErickaWilliamsCC]

There is a title lock system

[@sunlight4169]

​@@ErickaWilliamsCC "Title Lock claims to protect you against this, but it’s not a legitimate representation of what it actually does at all" It is not title lock but a monitoring service which does not lock your title but alerts you if changes in deed have occurred (after "the damage has been done"). The companies that represent themselves as title "lock" companies are not much better than the scammers who steal the title as these title "lock" companies make one think your title is being securely "locked"/frozen like a credit report. Title "lock" very much appears to be a deliberate misrepresentation by the "title lock" companies.

[@venniesyummycreations802]

@@ErickaWilliamsCC it's probably a fee!! Are you referring to Lifelock? I think that's the name.

[@ErickaWilliamsCC]

@@venniesyummycreations802 nope its a deed lock system similar

[@sunlight4169]

@@ErickaWilliamsCC So if we go to a store to return something without a receipt we are required to provide ID, but not to file a deed transfer at county courthouse (yes this is a practice in some states, i.e. some Texas counties)? How to stop this nonsense ---- Since there has been considerable growth in new notary commissions and those seeking to get into notary business - some legitimate but others likely not so -- and then there are deed transfers conducted online/remote - talk about leaving the hen house door wide open for the crazy foxes !!!! THIS is what every county needs to do: have thoroughly vetted, designated county notaries who would be the only type of notary authorized to notarize a special document --- a freeze of title, like one can freeze their credit report, so this would mitigate the problem of notaries "on the take" as the notary issue would dramatically reduce this type of fraud. Counties need to vet and have this special designated notary pool, and also there needs to be extra layers of scrutiny for online deed notarizations. The title freeze would only apply to deed transfers and not lien or encumbrances from creditors. As if we don't have enough fraudulent asset transfers through financial exploitation of elderly which is shocking in terms of how often this happens and I should know from what the probate lawyer described as unscrupulous sister for how she took advantage of easily manipulated mother ! The system needs to do better and protect people and families !!!!!

[@pigboykool]

All the government officials should be hold accountable too; it is their negligence to do their job.

[@toniesedrick691]

Good old Florida, I'm glad that he was caught, just remember there are many more out there just like him, buyer beware, home owners beware.

[@d.c.3220]

If people would starting suing these negligent county recorder offices, it would stop soon....

[@straightforward]

Love that man! Looks like he's built a beautiful house!

[@moniquemonique7543]

The same thing happen to me with a fake attorney who stole my grandmothers house in Flagler County.

[@poquitodefe]

Terrible!!

[@GodsGenuineGrace]

Thank you for sharing! How did you not know the attorney was a fraud?

[@moniquemonique7543]

@@GodsGenuineGrace Because he put everything in his name.

[@robertmanley2687]

In Georgia an attorney is necessary for closing.

[@StanJones-ww8th]

I live in California; however, I have family in Florida. Thank you KFLA for this information. I have saved the url to your station. TO EVERYONE OWNING A HOME WATCH THIS. NOT EVERYONE IS HONEST.

[@FracturedReality777]

That guy should be given a life sentence in federal prison without parole.

[@shrinkingviolet3]

What a horrible demon to take this man's hard earned home from him! Glad we are being educated.

[@monicaluketich6913]

My friend in West Virginia lost his home in a similar situation. He now has no place to live, but still has to pay the taxes on it!

[@andreaberryman5354]

This is why you always pay the one-time fee for title insurance with your title company. You find out your home sold, you simply contact your title company and file a claim against the person or entity.

[@oliviapowers8280]

YES!!

[@travelnomad2128]

County officials should be diligent in protecting homeowners. After all we pay their salaries with our taxes! Cruises are stricter than them in verifying identities & documents of their passengers apparently! I mentioned this cuz I'm going on a cruise soon, hahaha.......

[@jamielmurdoch]

It would help to know where the links are to sign up for these alerts on your home. Please post that.

[@amberb8876]

Type in your county's name and property fraud alerts in Google. Should take you to the exact page.

[@jamielmurdoch]

@@amberb8876 Thank you!!!

[@privard89]

That's amazing that he built that house. Very cool guy.

[@godschild6172]

Loved he built his own home. That state needs a better system.

[@mssamanthsellsscentsy]

Bell County TX - In 2019 Whitney Benson forged a document making it appear that my father signed it, in fact he was deceased before she filed the document and filed it against my parents home in Bell County Texas. The house is in Killeen, TX. In 2020 she was arrested with her mother while they attempt to sell it at a title company. She was charged and found guilty, judge gave her probation. In October 2023, Bell County filed a lawsuit against her and her mother for tax delinquency. She just recently retained a lawyer to help her sell the house and wanting to negotiate with me by giving me 50% of the money. First of all, I am not selling my parents' home knowing all of this was fraud. Second, I just want my home back that I inherited from my father, who was a Vietnam veteran. All she needs to do is remove her name off the property and change it back to mine. Simple as that. It is sad there are people who can easily steal your home with a stroke of a pen.

[@MadelynFelix-hl6ev]

Just happened to us in Cleveland Ohio. Cuyahoga County won't even hear the case after a month after filing the complaint. Our signature was forged and the only notarized signature was that of the supposed lender. The county and law enforcement does not care...no case number or anything. It took three weeks to get a call back from Cleveland Financial Crimes Unit office-just to say it was recorded in NJ, so the crime was committed there, and they did not have jurisdiction. Filer is Garrett Neal of San Diego, saying that someone owed him money (only after we found him as the organizer of the Wyoming LLC). He filed under Adious LLC as the lender, but Adious LLC wasn't formed until May 15 2023 and the mortgage document was created May 8, 2023. The notary was complicit. We have no help from city or county and are left to exhaust resources on attorney fees for a complaint that will not even be heard by the county. Too risky to buy real estate now, it seems. You can only be alerted after the action, then you're forced to litigate. What if we did not have the resources to pay attorneys?

[@123ronchamp]

The town,county should have to send a letter to the seller that the property was sold and keep for their records...

[@lisabowers2197]

I actually have to show identification, along with my medical card ,just to see my doctor, rules Must change to protect hardworking homeowners from these criminals. It shouldn't be that easy to steal people property like this.

[@JamesRichardWiley]

I don't understand why a fraudulent document created by a criminal online has more authority than the legitimate owner who is physically living in the house and paying taxes.

[@judytullos9889]

Locally a woman’s husband took her son to Brazil, after going with a woman to impersonate her and selling their home. She had no son or home for them! Brazil has no agreement to extradite Brazilian citizens. Her husband was living peacefully with their equity funds. She was able to divorce, and a most kind-hearted agent worked with the US embassy approval to find her son and bring him back to the US.

[@teresacorley7874]

You should not be able to buy a house online without going in person to file the deed exspecially if their is a previous owner both people should have to be thier in person and it should be recorded on camera and kept on file permanetly on file

[@TraceyGeer-u7z]

All those deeds and any mortgages should be totally unavailable to no one! That’s freaking crazy! Too many criminals out there! Shame on them!

[@johnmaxwell4072]

You built a house! Wow. I am very impressed! I can’t glue two matchsticks together…..lol. Great job!

[@garyowen9044]

The scam wasn’t on the homeowner, the scam was on the bank, and the county office. Why does the homeowner have to do the heavy lifting to fix it?

[@MamaKatt]

When you notarize a document on line there should be a video of that transaction because it is done on line. Contact the notary because they will be the key to figuring out what happened.

[@ALEXI778]

The stupidity of government, you need ID to buy liquor but you can just send it a deed????

[@HildaRealtor]

this is why people make fun of American city / government workers.... so incompetent

[@user-ln7of9gs4s]

Finger prints need to be required, and better protections. Lawmakers need to do something.

[@jo8726t]

Unbelievable! Glad this man didn't Los his home.

[@shiwan45]

I'm glad this guy was aware and alert to someone trying to steal his home

[@animaljack5588]

this happened to my friend many yrs ago, who has multiple properties, so didn't notice/realize until much later....took several thousand dollars in attorney fees to get the "docs" corrected. crazy there hasn't been a permanent fix to this easy crime!?

[@EMichaelBall]

It’s not profitable to certain people to do that.

[@Cucumberflavoredmustard]

This is even dumber than shoplifting. The amount of paperwork and details this scheme takes to both file and receive funds ensures you will be caught.

[@Jake-pf4kv]

I thought all real estate agents were always honest😂😂😂

[@fancythat5136]

The thief was a Real Estate Broker! OMG!

[@bigrico1322]

It’s impressive that he built his own house

[@moa8121]

Someone was extremely irresponsible!

[@LovetheWordslearn]

Paperwork was fake but it took him 2 months to get his house back?? This is ridiculous!

[@alz123alz]

one should be made to even give blood for dna test before title chnge

[@ivydickson7596]

We were shocked to learn that someone had taken out a resource consent to put a development on our property, which was legal, and they had never approached us to sell it.

[@rolandocastaneda4429]

People don't want to work hard anymore. I honor that man who did all the hard work to build his home. Few things anger me more than people who commit fraud to obtain a lifestyle.

[@dustymcdust825]

This is ridiculous, the amount of communication that I had to have with the bank, the realtor, underwriter, closing, earnest money etc. Someone can just go online, forge my signature and it’s theirs?

[@mtkoslowski]

Unfortunately the criminal was a realtor and knew the weaknesses of the system.

[@deborahcook8185]

Hello, I just finished seeing the report. You need to put out some information on how to prevent this. Thanks!

[@jacquelinebaldwin1180]

There is something that supposed to help is called Tri shield. But it doesn't. What it does is it notifies you that something's been recorded. Even though I was on the phone within minutes of being notified, I lost my homes.

[@missalphaomegagod-2u]

@@jacquelinebaldwin1180 omg I’m so sorry this happened to you

[@i_am_MintaB1]

Google works just fine

[@queencastle3971]

In other countries, when you purchase a property, you need to hire a lawyer. The lawyer then responsible to take the paperwork through court. Than the property becomes officially yours. They should do that in the US.

[@joonlee2031]

Wow, respect to this guy. Built his home with his hands from the ground up. Deed offices need to do better to protect citizens' greatest asset.

[@classicrocker889]

This is a Problem that's ONLY GOING TO GEY WORSE because of the Internet and if they don't make you come in and present proper Identification to Proove you're the owner .

[@adweugene]

Quick Deed is the problem No online transactions should be allowed and definitely elderly people are main targets

[@Rashiedamichelle]

Something similar happened to my husbands mom when he was 14 after his dad died😑😑😑 people are evil

[@frankiedominguez1872]

Ok but I luv that he has a molcajete on the coffee table 🥰💌

[@Le3ktrill]

Same thing happened to my mom and my childhood home in Bowie, MD back in the mid-2000s. By the time she caught it, they took out 2 mortgages and the house was in foreclosure with the 3rd collection company. Didn't help her lawyer (now disbarred) lied about filing the only paperwork needed to stop the foreclosure process and fix the deed fraud.

[@albeit1]

Why aren’t the authorities confirming the notary public stamp is valid? Is a phone call too much work? They could at least electronically ASK the notary publics. They keep records. Didn’t anyone think this through?

[@missalphaomegagod-2u]

Yes we do keep records and they should’ve been checking the signature/license of the notary too

[@chi-town296]

I placed my condo in to a land trust to prevent deed fraud. Contact real estate lawyer for more details.

[@terrimorrison2857]

Most, if not all, counties have a website where you can do a property search. Check there as well. That will tell you who is the registered owner of the property and usually has a history of owners and when they owned it though that may be limited to a certain number of owners. That would include property ownership transfers, not just sales.