Yahoo Finance Mississippi widow deemed a squatter, saying she lost her home of 20 years to a deed scam. Here's what happened
A cash-strapped Mississippi widow has been kicked out of her family home after she claims to have been tricked into sharing her deed of trust with a scammer.
Marcia Naylor’s world turned upside down when her husband of 28 years died suddenly two years ago — leaving her to take care of herself and two grandchildren all alone.
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Struggling to pay her bills on a single income, Naylor took a tip from a family member, who introduced her to a company that claimed they could ease her financial burden.
“He [at the company, said he] would borrow money against my house to give me wiggle room,” Naylor told WREG News Channel 3 Memphis.
She claims she “didn’t have to sign anything” but she did “share with him a copy of the deed of trust to [her] home.”
That proved to be a critical mistake, which led to the widowed school teacher being forced out of that family home by a judge. Here’s what happened.
From homeowner to squatter
A quitclaim deed — a type of legal document that transfers legal ownership or a property or land from one person to another — was filed.
This quitclaim deed was obtained by a DeSoto County court judge, who ordered Naylor to leave her home — which she’d lived in for nearly 20 years — and accused her of squatting on what was now someone else’s property.
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According to the WREG report, the judge ruled in favor of the company’s claims that Naylor owed them more than $19,000, plus possession of her property.
Naylor told WREG she was given days to move out of the family home with her two grandchildren and find somewhere else to live. She also said her earnings were garnished to repay her debts.
“It’s just been very difficult,” she said. “I’m a school teacher, bus driver and [will do] any other hustle I can find … to try to make ends meet.”
Avoiding quitclaim scams
In a statement to WREG, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), said: “Quitclaim deeds are meant to be an easy way to legally transfer home ownership to someone else, but scammers are using them to steal property from the rightful owner.
“One common tactic … is someone contacts you … and offers to help modify your mortgage and lower your payments. But first, you need to sign a few legal documents. If you do, you may be signing something that transfers the title of your home to the scammer.”
The BBB says there are things property owners can do to avoid this problem. For instance, you can check your property records on the county's register of deeds, where you can also look for deeds you didn’t sign or loans you didn’t take out.
You should also monitor your credit and understand that you should never transfer ownership of your property to a mortgage assistance company. Finally, if you have been targeted in a quitclaim scam, you should contact law enforcement and an attorney. Also check your title insurance terms to see if you’re granted any protection.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
