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Real Estate Fraud

Suspected $100M real estate fraud scheme uncovered in Baltimore

Appraisals, Baltimore, HWmember, Legal, Real Estate, Real Estate Fraud, Title, Valuation /

A suspected real estate fraud ring involving New York-based investors has triggered a wave of foreclosures across Baltimore, according to a local report. A months-long investigation by The Baltimore Banner uncovered the scheme, which allegedly involved EGBE Ventures and related companies tied to investors Eluzer Gold and Benjamin Eidlisz. The group reportedly purchased more than […]

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Florida brokerage endures a nightmare and lesson in real estate cybersecurity

Agent, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, HWmember, Real Estate, Real Estate Fraud, Technology, Wire Fraud /

In August, the agents at Berkshire Hathaway HomeService Florida Properties Group found themselves under siege from fraudsters.  “It began with the mother of one of our agents getting a call at two o’clock on a Sunday morning from a number that looked identical to her daughter, with her daughter’s photo,” Casey Bryan, the president of

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Tech Pulse: Agent AI adoption remains slow; title fraud thwarted in Ohio

Artificial Intelligence, Atlas VMS, FinCEN, Mortgage, Real Estate, Real Estate Agents, Real Estate Fraud, Technology, Title, Wire Fraud /

Welcome back to Tech Pulse — HousingWire‘s weekly series rounding up the latest in technology news, including tools, integrations and trends that impact mortgage and real estate. Here’s what happened this week: Real estate agent optimism holds steady, but AI adoption slow Kaplan’s inaugural Real Estate Survey of Trends reveals that 48% of agents expect client growth in the next

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Texas bill targets deed fraud, but expert points to online loopholes

Homebuying, HWmember, Real Estate, Real Estate Fraud, Texas, Title, Title insurance, Wire Fraud /

A bill on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk could give county clerks new tools to combat deed fraud, but one industry expert says the measure doesn’t go far enough to protect against scams carried out online. Senate Bill 15 — approved by the Texas Legislature in August — would require clerks to ask for identification

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FNF partners with CLEAR Secure on real estate fraud prevention

Cybersecurity, Fidelity National Financial, Homebuying, HWmember, Real Estate, Real Estate Fraud, Title, Title insurance, Wire Fraud /

Fidelity National Financial (FNF) has partnered with CLEAR Secure to use biometric identity verification in real estate transactions to mitigate real estate fraud, the companies said Wednesday. The initiative integrates CLEAR’s identity platform into FNF’s inHere digital system, which manages title and escrow processes. Leaders said the move is intended to address rising cases of

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Occupancy fraud: Not as simple as you think

Contributors, HWmember, Opinion, Real Estate Fraud /

The facts uncovered in fraud investigations are often shocking, revealing stories of both tragedy and comedy. And those stories inform how we help our clients to navigate the landscape of risk, regulation, and management. Stories about occupancy fraud, until very recently, never made the news. Then in the Spring of 2024, a top producing loan

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CertifID rolls out autonomous mortgage payoff ordering solution

Cybersecurity, Mortgage, Real Estate Fraud, Technology, Title, Wire Fraud /

Wire fraud prevention firm CertifID is looking to further prevent fraud by streamlining the mortgage payoff ordering process. The firm announced that it is rolling out a mortgage payoff ordering solution on Tuesday.  The solution enables title professionals to order mortgage payoffs with just one click. The solution is fully autonomous and enables title professionals

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Forged deed and mortgage fraud cost Georgia couple their home

Georgia, HWmember, Mortgage, Mortgage Fraud, Real Estate Fraud, Reverse, Reverse Mortgage Daily /

A Georgia couple lost their longtime family home after a forged deed led to a reverse mortgage they claimed they never signed, according to reporting from WSB-TV. James and Lucretia Klucken said they began receiving notices in 2019 about repayment on a $50,000 reverse mortgage tied to James’ family property. After reviewing the documents, James,

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Closinglock adds two-way text messaging for title insurance

Cybersecurity, HWmember, Mortgage Fraud, Real Estate, Real Estate Fraud, Technology, Title, Title insurance, Wire Fraud /

Closinglock has introduced a two-way text messaging tool for the title insurance industry, allowing closing professionals to send and receive SMS messages with clients and partners from within the company’s platform. The feature allows real-time communication with buyers, sellers, lenders and agents — and links each conversation to the relevant transaction. Closinglock says additional tools,

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CertifID lands Series C funding to expand security capabilities

Capital Funding, Cybersecurity, Funding, HWmember, Investor, Mortgage Fraud, Real Estate, Real Estate Fraud, Technology, Title, Title insurance, Wire Fraud /

CertifID has raised $47.5 million in a Series C funding round led by Centana Growth Partners with continued participation from Arthur Ventures. The new capital will be used to expand CertifID’s capabilities in identity verification, transaction monitoring and secure payments. The company also plans to scale its team, accelerate product development and broaden industry partnerships.

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