March is Fraud Prevention Month. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has consistently been a leader in the fight against mortgage fraud and offers the following tips to protect yourself against becoming a victim of mortgage fraud.
Be an informed consumer! Be wary of anyone who approaches you with an offer to make “easy money” in real estate. Remember: if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Protect yourself and your family from becoming victims of or accomplices to mortgage fraud. This means:
You can also help to protect yourself by inspecting your credit report at least annually by contacting Canada’s two credit-reporting agencies: Equifax Canada at www.equifax.ca and TransUnion Canada at www.transunion.ca.
If you suspect that you or someone you know has been the victim of mortgage fraud, please contact your local police department or The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
On-line: www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca
Toll Free: 1-888-495-8501
Toll Free Fax: 1-888-654-9426
Email: [email protected]
To find out more about mortgage fraud, visit the fraud prevention section of the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals (CAAMP) website at http://mortgageconsumer.org/protect-yourself-from-real-estate-fraud.
For over 65 years, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has been Canada’s national housing agency, and a source of objective, reliable housing information.
Source: CMHC