Saturday, March 27, 2010

Florida Woman Dupes Senior Into Signing POA, Then Drains Victim's Home Equity With Reverse Mortgage, Loots Bank Accounts, Say Cops

In Palm Beach County, Florida, The Palm Beach Post reports:
  • Evelyn Dick, authorities say, persuaded a 71-year-old North Palm Beach woman to let her get a reverse mortgage on the woman's home, then pocketed more than $34,000. Dick, 50, of suburban West Palm Beach, is charged with grand theft of between $10,000 and $50,000 on a person older than 65.

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  • The woman has told North Palm Beach police Dick befriended her about six months ago. She said Dick urged her to apply for food stamps and had her sign a document. The woman said Dick took her to the TD Bank at 316 Northlake Blvd. and had her stay outside. The woman said she later realized the document was a power of attorney and Dick had moved all the money out of her bank account.

  • She said Dick also had obtained a reverse-mortgage. She then withdrew $25,000 and $14,000, a police report said. The woman said she discovered the scam when the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development mailed mortgage papers to her and contacted a lawyer who told her to call police, the report said.

Source: Suburban West Palm Beach woman charged with defrauding 71-year-old.

See also, WPTV-TV Channel 5: Woman arrested in reverse mortgage scheme.