Photo by Penny Hansen
Left to right: Assessor-Recorder Shelly Scott, Investigator Mark Reischel, Legal Secretary Alfiya Nachtigall and District Attorney Lori Frugoli.
By Penny Hansen
Special to Marinscope
The aging of people in Marin County, coupled with internet accessibility and substantial home equities heightens susceptibility to real estate fraud.
With long-term homeowners sitting on larger and larger property assets, Marin makes attractive targets for title fraudsters who contact residents by phone, text, e-mail and mail.
In response, Marin District Attorney Lori Frugoli created a new real estate fraud division.
Investigator Mark Reischel will join Assessor-Recorder Shelly Scott and Alifya
Nachtigall, Legal Secretary to review all property transfers.
The new DA Fraud Division gave a public presentation at the College of Marin
Indian Valley campus at the Bill and Adele Jonas Center on behalf of the Rotary
Club of Novato.
Frugoli was alerted to the Title Transfer Fraud through a recent Marin
incident. The new screening Title Fraud Investigation Program will require
possibly three weeks and a small fee. To remedy a fraudulent title transfer after
the fact can take months and expense to remedy. It may also involve a Court Hearing.
Lauretta Phillips says
So glad to hear this needs to be done can’t figure out how it can take place in the first place
Ric says
Good the D.A. is being aware of the criminal element.
Actually Nationwide all recorders need to verify legitimiticty of transferer before accepting documents asserting valid transfer of title.
J yost says
Ya here in sonoma county it is trustie that are steeling the entire family estate and taking the cash out [ the country the sonoma county DA need t ok investigate A trustie named John Jones he is the worst if you check the records you well see were he put the property that was in trust in to his name ( witch is aganist the law no trustie must not be in vested in the real property that they are to distribute out to the airs first off when the old man passed away there was over 450.000 in cash in the bank and the estate in California was free and clear and the czsh disappeared from the account and he /ook out loans on the estate he put in his name and was only able to cause it was free and clear he need to be looked in to and you well find all the fraud he has committed SONOMA COUNTY DA STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND INVESTIGATE JOHN JONES AND LINKENHIMER TRUSTIES WORD!