As real estate prices continue to rise, so does the risk of title fraud. Title fraud is a serious crime that can have devastating financial and legal consequences for homeowners. While it’s not always easy to detect, there are some warning signs that you may be a victim of title fraud in Ontario. Let’s take a look at five of them.
Unusual activity on your property title: One telltale sign of title fraud is unusual or unexpected activity on your property title. This could include the sudden appearance of an unknown party claiming ownership over your property or changes to the registered address associated with the title deed. If you notice any suspicious activity on your property title, be sure to contact an experienced real estate attorney immediately.
Unexpected notifications from creditors: Another potential sign that you may be at risk for title fraud is if you start receiving creditor notifications out of the blue—especially if those notices are addressed to someone other than yourself or your family members living at the same address. This could indicate that someone has taken out loans or opened credit accounts using your name without your knowledge or permission.
Unauthorized transfers from mortgage accounts: Have you recently noticed unexplained transfers from your mortgage account? If so, this could be another sign that someone has used your identity to take out a loan against your home without notifying you first. It’s important to double-check all past and present bank statements for any unauthorized transfers and report anything suspicious right away.
Changes in tax assessments: Are you receiving higher tax bills than usual? Or lower ones? Either way, it’s worth double-checking with local taxing authorities to make sure that no fraudulent activities have been reported against your account recently. Unexpectedly high or low tax assessments can sometimes be a sign that something fishy is going on behind the scenes—so it’s always best to err on the side of caution and investigate further as soon as possible if this occurs in order to protect yourself from further harm down the line.
Notifications from credit bureaus: Lastly, keep an eye out for notifications regarding new credit cards being registered under your name without prior authorization (or even worse—debt collectors asking about outstanding payments). If this happens to you, don’t ignore it! Contacting an experienced real estate lawyer as soon as possible can help minimize any potential damages caused by fraudulent activity and get you back on track financially before things get worse down the road.
Conclusion
Homeowners need to stay vigilant when it comes to protecting their properties against title fraud in Ontario – especially as real estate prices continue to rise and more people look for ways around buying traditional homes outright with cash payments upfront instead of opting for mortgages and other forms of financing instead. The key is recognizing when something isn’t quite right early enough so that swift action can be taken before problems become even more serious down the line – which means keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity related to one’s title deeds or financial accounts! If anything seems amiss, contact an experienced real estate lawyer right away – they will be able to walk through all options available so that one can make an informed decision about what steps need to be taken next towards resolving any issues quickly and professionally!
This website’s content or any blog posts or news are solely intended to be used for informational purposes and should not be considered legal advice. This article is meant only as a general guideline, which may not apply in all circumstances, so it is important to consult with an experienced Canadian Real Estate Lawyer or Ottawa Real Estate Lawyer before taking action based on the information provided here.
If you need more information about title insurance and legal counsel on Ottawa real estate law, then don’t hesitate to reach out to Nirman’s Law for assistance. Nirman’s Law is Ottawa’s premier law firm for real estate matters, offering both traditional in-person legal services and cutting-edge virtual real estate services.
