AFTER a new law passed last year that now requires Florida’s clerk of court offices to offer a free property fraud alert system to homeowners, the system helped catch its first crook. Larry and Dreama Bilby decided to register their home while it was being renovated, and within two days they received a fraud alert. It turns out that another married couple, Michelle Cherry and Victor Rodriguez, went to the Hillsborough County Clerk’s office in February and fraudulently filed a quit claim deed on the Bilby’s property.
This deed transferred ownership of the Bilby's property to Cherry and Rodriguez. "I was so angry I almost couldn't talk," Dream told local Fox affiliate WTVT-TV . The Bilby's also started to notice that some of their mail was coming up missing.
They were also receiving things in the mail addressed to Cherry. "We saw she registered her driver's license to my address," said Larry. The fraudulent couple even had food delivered to the house, which sparked neighbors to get involved.
In March, police showed up at the property and spoke to Cherry, who told police it was her property and that she had been having issues with the previous owner. Cherry called the police to the property after a neighbor intervened and snatched a piece of mail with Larry's name on it from her. When asked if she is renting by police, she looks at the officer and "says no I own it," and explains that she has "an agreement" with the previous owner.
She also says despite being the owner, sh.
