Fort Myers Homeowner Accuses Friend Of Obtaining Deed By Deception In Foreclosure Rescue

In Fort Myers, Florida, The News Press reports:

• Just like 13,571 other mortgages in Lee County, Valerie Hamilton's was behind. But Hamilton thought she was in luck when her friend of 22 years, Beverly Harris, said Harris' husband Robert could help Hamilton avoid foreclosure. Robert Harris said the first step would be to take Hamilton's ex-husband's name off the deed. So he took Hamilton to an attorney, where she signed a form to start that process.

• According to Lee County Clerk records, the same day that Hamilton signed an agreement for legal services, she also signed a quit claim deed for her east Fort Myers home. "I was signing to get my husband's name off. ... Never did anyone say, 'You're quit claiming the house to the Harrises," Hamilton said. But three days after her ex-husband's name was taken off the deed, the Harrises filed a quit claim.

• Hamilton said she came home from work to find her belongings in the yard and men inside doing renovation work. Hamilton said Beverly Harris said she was sorry, but that the Harrises owned her house.

For more. see Beware mortgage ‘rescuers’.