Alerted to fake refinancing attempt, homeowners save their title, credit rating

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) – A Georgia couple was just about to get caught up in a scam that could have stolen the title to their home when an unsung hero altered them to the shenanigan.

Mike and Stephanie Jones live in Carlton, Georgia, a tiny town near Athens. They received a call recently from the city clerk. Shirley McIntyre told the Jones family she had been contacted by a title service company requesting information about the couple’s refinancing applications.

But their home title is held by Truist, and they weren’t trying to refinance.

The title service company that made the call confirmed someone was requesting a refinance, but wouldn’t say who.

To stop the crime, the Jones locked their credit with all three credit bureaus; alerted their mortgage company; and reported the attempted fraud to the police.

“I don’t feel like a hero at all,” McIntyre said. “I felt uneasy and I did what anyone else would have done in my situation.”

The reality is that tampering with a homeowner’s title is not that common. The FBI said it rarely happens and, depending on where they live, folks may have some cost-free options to protect their homes.

For instance, Fulton County’s superior and magistrate court clerk encourages residents to sign up for property fraud protection. DeKalb and Cherokee county residents can also sign up for fraud notification.

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