NC officials warn of flood of fake property claims

The Beaumont Enterprise ^ | July 8 , 2011 | unknown

[Neidermeyer]

WEDDINGTON, N.C. (AP) — Officials at Charlotte-area courthouses say they are seeing epidemic of frivolous paperwork filed by people claiming the right to seize foreclosed property.

The bogus deeds are being filed by people who claim to belong to the Moorish Science Temple of America, an obscure religious sect founded in the 1920s with beliefs loosely connected to Islam.

In one incident, a real estate agent and a couple viewing a foreclosed $700,000 home in the Union County town of Weddington were confronted on June 1 by two men who produced a deed claiming the home in the name of the Moorish Science Temple, The Mecklenburg Times reported.

"These two guys came in, showed the purported deed and said the Moorish Temple now owned this house," Detective Brian Keziah of the Union County Sheriff's Department. "They took over the house."

The deed filed May 20 claims ownership of the house by the Moorish Science Temple of America "to have and to hold . forever." Officers found personal items inside the home, Keziah said.

Read more: http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/NC-officials-warn-of-flood-of-fake-property-claims-1458511.php#ixzz1RbjbCVPf

[Neidermeyer]

Please read the article at the link , Quite simply these fraudsters have just as much right to the homes as the entities that are foreclosing on them ,, in most (all actually) instances the real party in interest on the "loan" side of the equation has not been notified or consulted... ENJOY

[cripplecreek]

Sounds to me like an ACORN scam. Somehow I suspect that a little digging would find the nuts involved somewhere.

[Shannon]

I'd heard about this so was glad to see the article. These grifters have no right to the homes. None. They go around looking for vacant homes; that's their target. I was glad to read that two were arrested.

Now, as to how they sort out the matter of the fake deed that was filed, I have no idea.

[Neidermeyer]

You might be right , I have no idea on that ... But what I find compelling is that since so many properties are just flat stolen by falsely appointed “substitute trustees” and “holders” of the note and other lies in addition to the junk debt buyers that paid 10% (or less) and foreclosed in the name of the original note holder when they only had collection rights with no security... that the whole thing is heading straight to a Federal Government intervention and a cleaning up of all this mess...

[Kartographer]

I guess it will come down to who has the most convincing fake documents. ;-)

[momtothree]

I have very little knowledge of real estate BUT seems to me that there has to be some sort of forgery law or something if you forge a document. A trespassing law for living in a home that isn’t your? Perhaps the courts can fully prosecute and fine those individuals to set an example?

[Rumplemeyer]

save

[Realman30]

The word Islam is involved. Don't look for anyone to be arrested.

The sect will be allowed to stay in the houses until the authorities can resolve the situation

[dljordan]

I’ve seen some of these people on YouTube. Search “Moorish Law” it’s hilarious.

[momtothree]

Ridiculous! Especially because you know if you (or me) moved into a foreclosed home and forged documents... we would be in pretty “silver” bracelets in a heartbeat. If a home is in the foreclosure process, doesn’t the bank “own” that property? You can’t sell what you can’t show... I am sure the bank executives are having headaches!

[rstrahan]

Texas had a similar problem, but changed the laws regarding fraudulent deeds. Pretty much cleared it up

[Shannon]

You can’t sell what you can’t show...

Right but these crooks have been forging deeds so it "appears" that they do own the property. Good luck selling the home because until the forged deed is cleared up, not much of anything will happen.

It's bad enough if they're doing this with vacant, foreclosed homes. But what if a property isn't in foreclosure and the owner moved away while the house was on the market? Think of that mess.

What isn't clear to me is if this is only happening with homes in foreclosure. If so, you'd have to wonder how the crooks know this. Who is telling them?

[momtothree]

“Texas had a siilar problem...”

I just am amazed at the... audacity. Move into a vacant house and claim it?! I am glad Texas changed the laws... good for them.

[tarawa]

Changing the laws won’t affect their behavior, only allow them to be prosecuted. They are of the belief that they are not subject to either state or federal law. I have dealt with some of these nutjobs in the past, and some of the claims they make will stagger the mind.