Florida Real Estate Agents Must Also be on the Lookout for Fraud, Crime

We’re reported at length on the need for borrowers to be aware of the potential for Florida mortgage fraud. Always conduct extensive research on the professionals with whom you do business.

But this warning goes both ways.

Authorities in Seminole County are searching for two women who are apparently pretending to be interested in buying new homes to steal from real estate agents. Claiming they are interested in the currently low Florida mortgage rates, these individuals are on the loose.

Investigators said Denise Fuller and Winshenia Lamarr (pictured) and possibly a third person are meeting with real estate employees in the Central Florida housing market and then taking credit cards from their wallets.

“Police say the suspects pretended to be potential house buyers at KB Homes in Sanford,” Local 6’s Charnel Wright said. “They distracted the employees. When Realtors showed them a home, a third person went in and stole one credit card from each employee’s purse.”

Local 6 showed video of the women at a Target store in Seminole County purchasing items with stolen credit cards. Authorities were quickly able to identify the woman.

“Investigators did an excellent job at sharing the information and distributed the photographs throughout the sheriff’s office who then in turn identified the individuals who happen to be known to the agency,” Seminole County sheriff’s representative Carrie Hoeppner said.

It’s just an example of why all involving in the home owning process need to be aware of mortgage fraud possibilities. Or just basic crime.