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Fake ID at signing? Does that ever work?

Well, this is a new one for me. I get a call from my transaction coordinator last week. Gee, Sue... it seems we have a slight problem. Ok, I reply... I'm sure it's nothing we can't handle - what is it?

Apparently the buyer went to escrow to sign his docs with FAKE IDENTIFICATION!

Now, I'm thinking this is strange and it's certainly something I have never encountered in 17 years of this business. The escrow officer tells me, this happens MUCH more than you might realize & sometimes they get away with it. WOW!!

Anything like this ever happen to you?

Posted by Sue Nelson, Broker/Associate Las Vegas Real Estate ~Team Rhino~ on 06/16/2007 11:20 AM

Comments (23)

agents, buyers, real estate, las vegas, crazy, wild, home, house, suesellsvegas

23 Comments on Fake ID at signing? Does that ever work?

JUN

2007

Boy that is really something. I have never had that happen but then...if it worked you might never know until much, much later.

WOW! Nothing quite that bad has to me happened before. So was the person trying to buy with someone else's identity or did they just lose their real ID??

NOt exactly that, but I had a client (a guy) who legally changed his name to something arab sounding and did not tell me or anyone else, so we are sitting at settlement and he pulls out his drivers license and on it is this arab name with his picture on it. Keep in mind he was a blond haired blue eyed nortic decent guy. Needless to say 2 days later we closed when everything was sorted out.

You never know, we trust people, strangers and most of the time it works out. But, you never know.

Patricia Aulson/Lic NH/ME/MA

www.patricia4realestate.com

Pam: That's true... I guess it may have happened to me before & I never knew it.

Debbie: According to them, they were trying to "find" their real ID.

James: That would be interesting. My legal name is Sandra & people give me a funny look when they see my ID, knowing I've gone by Sue my whole life.

Patricia: Most people are good & trustworthy & kind. This was probably a fluke, but it definitely caught me off guard.

JUN

2007

I've never had a client use fake ID but I have had them make dummy pay stubs for the lender. I will never forget how upset the processor was when she called me about that one. This couple was a real challenge the entire time, but we managed to get them in a home.

Sybil: People crack me up. I could never want a home bad enough to go to jail over it.

Hello Sue,
Thank goodness I have never had that experience but I have heard stories about it happening. People no fail to surprise me. Thank you for sharing.

A fake I.D. wow for me that is new. I am not surprise. I am sure if you can think of it, someone else has already thought of it, and tried it

that is ridiculous, why would someone think they could get away with something like that. crazy story

Cynthia: It's true... people are creative.

Dan: I couldnt' agree more. I just don't have a criminal mind I guess. I would never think of that.

Scott: The craziest part was the title officer telling me that it was not that uncommon.

JUN

2007

Maybe they were hoping if they were busted they wouldn't have to go to jail, but would be given "house arrest". Har har

You never know, that's why it is always necessary to get the proper ID. But thanks for making us more aware of things to look for!

Lexa Montierth

No I have not had that happen yet. Now a days nothing would surprise me. Great Post.

JUL

2007

Robin: That's FUNNY!

Lexa & Frank: I hope you never run into it. Totally caught me off guard.

JUL

2007

As a mortgage broker we usually find this out when we get their credit report and see 7 different social security numbers. But that's pretty wild that they made it all the way to closing with it.

Drew: Yes, multiple SS#'s would be a good clue that something might be amiss right? I personally think the lender knew the truth... but obviously I can't prove it.

I thought we quit using fake ids at age 21?!?

Katie: You would think right?

JUL

2007

The attorney at the title office I use told me a story of a buyer that came to the closing table without ID, and said he needed to call home for someone to bring it to him. The attorney stepped out while the buyer made the call...the buyer was speaking in a different language, and one of the bilingual processors in the office happened to walk by and overhear as he was asking the person on the other end of the phone to MAKE HIM A NEW DRIVERS LICENSE AND SOCIAL SECURITY CARD so that they could finish the purchase. Needless to say, the attorney called the FBI. I believe they led him out of the office in cuffs. Eeeek.

Sorry about your buyer! Hope you find a new purchaser quickly.

Heather

Heather: Yikes! These things still boggle my mind.

I am a Escrow Officer and I have seen it a couple of times. I had a particular Mortgage Broker that used to business with me and I caught a fake social security card and a fake drivers license. Problem is sometimes when they come with fake ID it is a out of state ID and unfortunately it is hard to catch. Needless to say I do not do business with this Mortgage Broker anymore and I found out after the fact that he actually had someone that he would send all of his clients to, to obtain the fake ID's. Kind of scary!

July: I was wondering how often the lenders are involved. I'd love to think never, but in my case I think they were definitely in on the whole thing.

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