Forgery is the crime of falsely and fraudulently creating or altering a legal document. It is a felony punishable by imprisonment. It is also an act which may cloud title to a property and may result in protracted legal proceedings.
Sadly, the incidence of forgery is escalating, and the victims are innocent property owners. Title industry figures reveal that over the last decade forgery losses tripled, accounting now for over 20% of the losses paid by title insurers.
The attached piece provides a list of Red Flags that may help with detection and prevention and at the very least, encourage further investigation to ensure the validity of the transaction.
As always, we remind you to request a property profile from our Resource Center at the very beginning of your listing appointment and/or presenting an offer to provide you with a clear picture of all issues and potential problems that can stand in the way of a successful closing.
