Welcome to The Home Equity Theft Reporter, a blog dedicated to informing the consumer public and the legal profession about Home Equity Theft issues. This blog will consist of information describing the various forms of Home Equity Theft and links to news reports & other informational sources from throughout the country about the victims of Home Equity Theft and what government authorities and others are doing about it.
Monday, March 06, 2017
Cops Search For Atlanta-Area Woman Suspected Of Online Scam Peddling Homes She Doesn't Own, Scoring Deposit$ From Unwitting Prospective Buyers
In Forest Park, Georgia, Fox 5 Atlanta reports:
Forest Park police are searching for a woman reportedly scamming would be homebuyers out of thousands of dollars. Investigators said she posted for sale houses she doesn't own on real estate websites, then collecting fees from people who want to purchases the homes.
Christine Rawlins posted a house she didn't own for sale on the real estate website Trulia, according to police. On February 4, Rawlins met with a victim who contacted her expressing interest in the house. She reportedly told the victim she had power of attorney and was selling the house for her uncle. She was able to convince the victim to give her a $7,500 cashier's check as a down payment on the home.
When Rawlins missed an appointment to turn over the title and house keys and couldn't be reached by phone two days later the victim went to the police.
Police said Rawlins has re-listed the same home for sale on the Trulia site under a different name.
Forest Park Police Sergeant Keli Flanigan told FOX 5, "She's still renting homes as a matter of fact."
There's also a warrant out for the woman's arrest out of Clayton County on larceny charges.
Joshua Kimbrough and his mom paid Christine Rawlins nine thousand dollars after seeing this Jonesboro house for sale on Craigslist last summer.
"They said they was looking for first time buyers. We thought they were honest people basically," said Kimbrough.
CBC News: Betrayal of Trust (A CBC investigation reveals how lawyers across Canada have misappropriated and mishandled clients money, to the tune of tens of millions of dollars, or sometimes even charging vulnerable people top dollar for shoddy services)
Land Contract/Contract For Deed/Rent-To-Own Rackets
The New York Times: The Housing Trap (In the wake of the housing crisis, low-income families have turned to seller financing to buy homes but these deals can be a money trap)
Beware The Fine Print: Consumers Forced To Sign Away Their Rights To Use Court System
The NY Times: Arbitration Everywhere, Stacking the Deck of Justice(Part 1 in series examining how clauses buried in tens of millions of contracts have deprived Americans of one of their most fundamental constitutional rights: their day in court)
Foreclosure Mills' Abysmal Record In Complying With New NYS Foreclosure Requirements
Justice Deceived: How Large Foreclosure Firms Subvert State Regulations Protecting Homeowners
MFY Legal Services Report On Questionable Practices By Process Servers In Debt Collection Cases
Justice Disserved: A Preliminary Analysis of the Exceptionally
Low Appearance Rate by Defendants in Lawsuits Filed in the Civil Court of the City of New York
Mortgage Mess Redux: Robo-Signers Return (A Reuters investigation finds that many banks are still employing the controversial foreclosure practices that sparked a major outcry last year)
CNN Video: As Foreclosures Mount, Florida Court Turns To 'Rocket Docket'
The Wall Street Journal: A Florida Court's 'Rocket Docket' Blasts Through Foreclosure Cases (2 Questions, 15 Seconds, 45 Days to Get Out; 'What's to Talk About?' Says a Judge)
"Produce The Note" Strategy When Dealing With Missing Promissory Notes In Foreclosure Actions
ABC Video: Fighting Against Foreclosure (Some homeowners have found a new tactic to keep the banks at bay)
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