Virginia Title Center and the Courthouses

Will Be Closed on

Monday, October 9th

in Observance of Columbus Day

FRAUD ALERT: Imposter Refinance Borrowers, Fraudulent and Forged Notaries, and Mail-Away Closings

from Investors Title Risk Management

The purpose of this alert is to promote awareness of the increase in recent deed/notary fraud scams involving mail-away document executions. If you have a transaction that has any of these elements, closely examine the transaction for red flags and take the below precautions when necessary. 

How it works:

1. Cash-Out Refinance: Borrower to receive funds from a refinance in excess of any current outstanding debts.
2. Remote Borrower: Remote borrower that is not known to the party closing the transaction, never appears at closing or on screen, and/or wants the proceeds wired.
3. Mail-Away / External Execution: Refinance documents are prepared in your office but executed and notarized outside of your office.
4. Unknown Notary: Notary is not personally known to the party closing the transaction.
5. No Outstanding Debts Secured By the Property: While not required, the best target property is one that does not have any payoffs to be made. 

 

In this scheme, the fraudster impersonates the owner of the property and forges the true owner’s signature (as borrower) on the refinance documents. Often, a legitimate notary’s credentials and seal are fraudulently applied without the notary’s knowledge. Click HERE to learn about the Red Flags, Precautions and Mitigation Efforts.

The Power of Reframing to Change Our Outlook

by Gregg Vanourek

Many of us are walking around much of the time in a mild state of anxiety, frustration, or negativity, and it colors almost everything we think and do. Our thought-streams are heavy with negative self-talk, worrying, rumination, and harsh self-judgment from our unhealthy propensity to engage in flawed and superficial comparisons. According to researchers, we humans have a negativity bias: we tend to over-focus on negatives and underweight positives. Click HERE to learn about the powerful practice of reframing that can change way we see the world.

Need Fee Income? Add New Services for Small and Midsize Businesses

by Debbie Smart and Jaime Dominguez



Though focused on growing fee income, banks may be overlooking a valuable opportunity in their existing customer base: businesses. There’s a perception that small and midsize businesses aren’t willing to pay for fee-based services, but many busy business owners are already paying fintechs thousands of dollars for tech solutions that help with accounting, payroll, marketing and more. Banks that integrate cloud-based business solutions into their platforms could not only charge for the added value, but enhance relationships as well. Click HERE to read on.

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The Simple Communication Technique That Will Inspire Your Team

by Lolly Daskal

Effective communication is crucial for leaders looking to inspire and motivate their team. One simple technique that can have a powerful impact is communicating with care. When leaders express genuine interest in their team members’ well-being and happiness, it can increase motivation. Click HERE to learn about four ways care makes a difference in communication.

5 Ways to Actually Move Forward on That Task You've Been Avoiding

by Dorie Clark

Every professional occasionally drags their feet on certain projects. It’s easy to put off tedious tasks or emotionally draining ones. Indeed, research has shown that procrastination — rather than being a moral failing or sign of laziness — is actually a subconscious strategy to avoid negative emotions. If you find yourself repeatedly ignoring a particular line item on your to-do list, even when it may be critical for your future success, there are five things you can do. Click HERE to learn more.

How To Be A Non-Defensive Communicator at Work

by Colin Savells

Being defensive weakens you and leads to mistrust with colleagues. In a corporate setting, defensiveness can result in power struggles and unnecessary, destructive conflicts. And if you are defensive with customers and clients, you are more likely to lose them. While you’re busy defending yourself, there’s also not much room for meaningful contact with others. You can’t learn from their feedback or from your own mistakes. Changing how we communicate as individuals—learning that we can protect ourselves and have greater influence without using defensiveness—can not only dramatically shift our professional and personal relationships but can also improve the bottom line. Click HERE to learn more.

Building a Strong Foundation to Stay Competitive During Economic Uncertainty

by Tina Asher

Community banks are facing unique circumstances when it comes to determining business strategy. High interest rates have receded loan demand, and while this has caused bankers to reconsider their priorities and budgets, longstanding issues of talent shortages and industry disruptors fighting for market share still require their attention. Community banks have proven their resiliency time and again. By taking advantage of the opportunity this slowed loan growth affords, community institutions can ensure their foundation and structural processes are optimized for success in all market conditions. Click HERE for recommendations on where to start.

Real Estate Agents Who Participate in Joint Ventures Should Be Wary of the CFPB's Recent Policy Statement on Abusive Conduct

by McGuireWoods LLP

Mortgage and title companies arrange joint ventures as a means of rewarding real-estate agents for referrals. Real-estate agents enter into these joint ventures because they allow the agents to share in the profits derived from providing mortgage and title services to the agents’ customers. Real-estate agents who participate in these joint ventures subject themselves to the authority of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, state attorneys general, and other state regulators, all of which may enforce the CFPA’s prohibition on abusive conduct. And given the Bureau’s aggressive interpretation of this statute, real-estate agents participating in joint ventures might reconsider their involvement. Click HERE to read this article in its entirety.

Virginia Title Center Keeps You Safe From Wire Fraud with CertifID

Digital banking makes moving money easier for everyone — including cyber criminals, who are getting more cunning every day. Every wire transfer you send or receive is at risk. Yet many ask if wire fraud is really that serious? Wire transfers continue to be the most frequently reported payment method for fraud with a reported aggregate loss of $2.4 Billion and an average loss of $120k per victim. And, did you know that one out of every three real estate transactions are targeted for wire fraud?

At Virginia Title Center, we take the safety of your money and your client's money seriously and now offer wire fraud protection through a partnership with CertifID. This offers end-to-end protection to keep customer information secured and insured at all times through a suite of services. CertifID makes it easy for us to securely send our wire instructions to clients and lenders; allows us to safely collect bank details from home sellers and other partners; verifies the bank details that have been provided are accurate and not tampered with; and, offers PayoffProtect to validate the authenticity of wiring instructions to ensure loan payoff payments aren't sent to fraudsters. All wire transactions are backed by Lloyd's of London and insured up to $1 million. Click HERE for a flyer you can share with your clients, and talk to your settlement processor to learn how using CertifID can protect you and your clients.