Combating Rental Fraud: Protecting Your Property from Costly Scams

Industry experts will discuss fraudulent identities and documents, screening and verification practices, California compliance requirements, and the legal remedies available when fraud results in tenancy disputes—or escalates into fraudulent claims involving property ownership or title.

• Identity & application fraud — fake or stolen identities, synthetic identities and misrepresentation.
• Fraudulent documentation — altered pay stubs, bank statements, employment records and other supporting documents.
• Screening & verification — strengthening identity, income and employment verification while maintaining consistent screening standards.
• Fair Housing & consumer reporting compliance — avoiding legal exposure when investigating suspected fraud or denying an applicant.
• Fraud discovered after move-in — what owners and managers can—and cannot—do when application fraud is uncovered after a tenancy begins.
• Eviction and legal remedies — documentation, evidence and the potential consequences of fraudulent representations.
• Property and title fraud — forged documents, fraudulent transfers or recorded claims that can threaten an owner’s property rights.
• Quiet Title actions — when a title dispute may require court action to establish ownership and remove an invalid adverse claim.

Featured Panelists:

Nate Bernstein, Esq.,is the Managing Counsel of LA Real Estate Law Group, and a member of the State Bar of California and his practice concentrates in the areas of complex real estate litigation, commercial litigation, employment law, and bankruptcy matters.  Nate Bernstein is a 22 year veteran Los Angeles real estate and business attorney and trial lawyer. Mr. Bernstein also has expertise on bankruptcy law, the federal bankruptcy court system, creditor’s rights and debtor’s bankruptcy options. He previously served as Vice President and In House trial counsel at Fidelity Title Insurance Company, a Fortune 500 company, and in house counsel at Denley Investment Management Company. Nate Bernstein created www.laquiettitleattorney.com, a leading educational resource on quiet title real estate litigation. Nate Bernstein is a local expert on real estate law and economic trends in the real estate and leasing market, business law, and bankruptcy law. Nate has personally litigated more than 40 major real estate trials, and has settled more than 200 complex real estate and business cases.

William M. Nassar, Esq. is Principal Attorney at Fast Eviction Service and the founding and principal attorney of the Law Offices of William M. Nassar & Associates. With more than 30 years of legal experience, he represents California rental property owners in residential and commercial eviction matters, landlord-tenant disputes, and related real estate and business issues. Mr. Nassar brings extensive experience navigating complex legal matters and helping property owners protect their rights and interests. He earned his J.D. from Western State University College of Law and his B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Redlands.

Steven Pastores is a Senior Client Success Manager at RentSpree based in Los Angeles, CA. He has helped train thousands of real estate profesionals on how to use RentSpree effectively in their rental business.