Not quite worried enough that identity thieves might empty your bank account or ruin your credit rating with a shopping spree in your name?
The FBI says those concerns are small spuds compared to what might happen when crooks parlay identity theft and mortgage fraud into "a totally new kind of crime: house stealing."
... The con artists start by picking out a house to steal - say, YOURS.
... Next, they assume your identity - getting a hold of your name and personal information (easy enough to do off the Internet) and using that to create fake IDs, social security cards, etc.
... Then, they go to an office supply store and purchase forms that transfer property.
... After forging your signature and using the fake IDs, they file these deeds with the proper authorities, and lo and behold, your house is now THEIRS.
Sometimes it will be an empty house or vacation home, sometimes the thieves will work their schemes while the homeowner and their families go on about their normal everyday lives, says the FBI.
The Justice Department details one such case in this press release.
Although the FBI says mortgage fraud is "pervasive and growing," the combination of identity theft and mortgage fraud -- this so-called house stealing -- is "not too common at this point."
(No word in the press release about those who might welcome having their houses stolen, given the disparity between what they owe and what the homes are worth. ... Yes, I'm kidding.)
Sleep tight.
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Street Address from Reverse Phone Number Lookup
Also, reverse lookup on your phone number posted online gives away your street address. To prevent ID theft I recommend never posting your phone number online, instead use anonymous calling. I use "Call Me on Ccube" button (www.ccube.com) on most classified and social networking sites.
- Pam.
Cited Press Release
The cited Justice Department press release doesn't really speak directly to the story as you report it - it expands on the theme perhaps, but in that case the victims appear to all have been aware / duped into the scheme. Not totally oblivious to what was going on.
Prevent it by filing a lein?
Does anyone know if you can file a lien on your own house?
If a person could file a lien on their house, no one could get clear title on that without satisfying that lien.
Of course if the thieves are impersonating you they could remove the lien, but then at least the victim would have a clear claim against the title company. (since the title insurance co. is responsible for searching for liens an then guaranteeing that all are properly satisfied).
That could work out quite nicely for the victim... If they had a lien for several times the market value, and the title co. had to pay up :)
Any downsides?
Are there any downsides to taking out a lien on your own house, aside from the obvious: your time and effort being expended? Does it effect credit ratings?
I don't know
First - I'm not in the real estate bus. So I don't know what I'm talking about (I'm an engineer).
I'd be a little surprised if it affected the credit rating. Liens are normal on houses. Any loan secured by the house will have a lien (1st/2nd mortgage, HELOC, etc).
I suspect it could complicate things when refinancing or getting a HELOC. The liens for the mortgage/HELOC have an explicit order in line for who gets $ in the case of foreclosure. This lien would have to be last in line (the lenders wouldn't approve the loan if the borrower had a higher priority lien).
What means HELOC?
One should use the term before resorting to acronyms, viz, High Energy Linear Oscillating Conductifier (HELOC). Otherwise people don't know what you are referring to.