In a shocking case of deed fraud, Los Angeles homeowner Carron Payton faced an arduous and exhausting battle to reclaim her home of 30 years. It all started in December 2019 when Payton received a letter from the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's office, notifying her that she had "gifted" her property to a man named Frank Galvan. This was news to Payton, who had never met Galvan nor transferred her property.
Payton, an older woman with health issues that required her to use a walker, was left stunned and helpless. The County Recorder's office advised her to file a police report, but offered no assistance in resolving the situation. With little choice, she hired an attorney to help her navigate the complex legal landscape. The investigation uncovered a shocking plot: the thief had used a fake ID and hired an imposter to pose as Payton, convincing a real notary to stamp the fraudulent documents. The notary later testified in court, confirming that the woman who appeared before her was not Payton, as she could not have physically made it up the stairs to the notary's office due to her health.
Despite the evidence, the ordeal was far from over. Because the notice she’d received from the County had taken months to be sent out, she’d already lost valuable time. By the time Payton hired her attorney, the thief had already refinanced her property, taking out a substantial amount of money and disappearing with a cashier's check worth over $100,000. To add insult to injury, the lender who refinanced the fraudulent loan sued Payton, the victim, to recover their funds.
For over three years, from December 2019 to April 2023, Payton and her attorney fought tirelessly in court to clear her name and reclaim her home, and the sad irony is that Payton had to put the very property she was trying to recover up as collateral to pay for her legal bills. The emotional and financial toll was immense, with her house used as collateral to cover mounting legal fees. This case highlights the devastating impact of deed fraud, particularly on vulnerable individuals like Payton, who faced an uphill battle for justice while dealing with serious health issues. Her story is a sobering reminder of the lengths some will go to exploit others, and the incredible resilience required to stand up against such injustice.
Had Carron Payton been using a property monitoring service, her ordeal might have been avoided or mitigated. These services alert homeowners to any changes in their property's deed, helping to detect unauthorized transactions. If Payton had received immediate notification of the fraudulent transfer, she could have taken swift action, potentially preventing the thief from refinancing her property. Such monitoring could have saved her from the exhausting three-year legal battle and the immense financial strain she endured. This case underscores the importance of utilizing monitoring services to protect property ownership, especially for vulnerable individuals who may be targets for fraud.
Link: https://www.hometitlelock.com/articles/Nightmare-of%20Deed-Fraud-A-Los-Angeles-Womans-Three-Year-Struggle-to-Reclaim-Her-Stolen-Home
