Home Title Protection?

[bloodandgutsmurphy]

I've been hearing a lot of commercials for businesses offering this service. They claim it happens unknowingly to many people every year. Cyber thieves steal your title and you don't find out until the house is repossessed.

Has anyone heard of this happening? Is anyone a customer of these companies?

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I’ve wondered about this…

 

[ancjr]

Are they collecting the info needed to make a claim against your title?

 

[Ingomike]

It is BS. Avoid it.

 

[Ingomike]

I've been hearing a lot of commercials for businesses offering this service. They claim it happens unknowingly to many people every year. Cyber thieves steal your title and you don't find out until the house is repossessed.

Has anyone heard of this happening? Is anyone a customer of these companies?

Just some logical questions.

Who is foreclosing? How did they get a mortgage recorded over yours! A fraudulent deed isa fraudulent deed, it does not supersede your deed. Even the IRS cannot jump in front of your mortgage.

 

[firecadet613]

If they only ever pray on the elderly, there's your sign...

 

[Ingomike]

Still waiting to here how they foreclose with fraudulent deeds. There is no such thing a repossession of property, it must go through court as foreclosure…

 

[hooky]

Apparently it's a thing.

BBB Scam Alert: Home title fraud

Can a scammer really obtain the title to your property and change ownership to themselves? Unfortunately, yes.

www.bbb.org

I have credit freeze in place, so it's not really a concern.

 

[Ingomike]

Apparently it's a thing.

BBB Scam Alert: Home title fraud

Can a scammer really obtain the title to your property and change ownership to themselves? Unfortunately, yes.

www.bbb.org

I have credit freeze in place, so it's not really a concern.

That is identity theft and fraud. Most attorneys can draft a deed and get it recorded.

They claim it happens unknowingly to many people every year. Cyber thieves steal your title and you don't find out until the house is repossessed.

Never heard of “stealing“ a title (a deed is just a piece of paper recorded) and there is no repossession of real estate, it is a foreclosure procedure supervised by the courts. I get that identity theft it is a pain but as hooky said locking your credit is the best answer.

Once proven fraudulent no court will cause you to lose your house. My guess is your mortgage lender would also be involved because the fraudulent liens are taking their rights away.

 

[firecadet613]

Yep, freeze your credit and call it a day...

 

[BehindBlueI's]

 

[04FXSTS]

Can you help out an old man? What does it mean to "freeze your credit?" Jim.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

In St. Je County, you can go online and set up your info, so you get an email if anything touches your title. Call your county assessor and see if they have it.

 

[KG1]

Ummmm.... Do you mean St. Joe County perhaps?

 

[firecadet613]

Can you help out an old man? What does it mean to "freeze your credit?" Jim.

Go online to all the big 3 credit agencies and they will walk you through it. It's then about a minute long process to unfreeze it when you need to apply for credit (with a special pin you'll get when you freeze it).

 

[hooky]

How to Freeze Your Credit - NerdWallet

A credit freeze blocks access to your credit reports to stop new accounts from being opened in your name — even if a scammer has your Social Security number.

www.nerdwallet.com

I did this for my kids too. Read too many horror stories about the college financial aid process being the first time you find out Johnny has defaulted on loans back when he was 11 years old.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

Ummmm.... Do you mean St. Joe County perhaps?

Perhaps. Did you mean St. Joseph County?

 

[HoughMade]

Once proven fraudulent no court will cause you to lose your house. My guess is your mortgage lender would also be involved because the fraudulent liens are taking their rights away.

This is accurate. I've heard of this in theory, but I guarantee that the people selling "protection" specifically for this are making a lot more money for doing nothing than any scammers who may try this.

 

[KMaC]

Stealing your house is very rare but it has happened.
I remember a story from the mid 70s about a Indy con man extrordinaire, Norman Z. Flick. He recorded fraudulent deeds on expensive homes that were vacant while the residents wintered in Florida. He sold the homes to unsuspecting buyers. I assume the properties were owned outright without mortgage to avoid losing money to a mortgage payoff at closing.
The fraud was exposed when the owners returned from winter vacations but I remember his name 50 years later because this crime was so daring.
I Googled his name but only got court decisions on some of his other crimes. Seems Norman wasn't very successful at getting away with his schemes. Maybe someone with better research skills can find the Indy Star article on this crime.

 

[bobzilla]

We learned last year that they no longer issue a paper deed when your mortgage is paid off. Just the filing in the county assessors office.