For Immediate Release: 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE            Contact:  Tim Egan EIC Executive Director (800) 337-2769 P.J. Garcia EIC Chairperson (714) 842-4594 extension 1#   Escrow Institute of California Publishes “How to Avoid Property Fraud” Flyer Flyer Lists Warning Signs and Tips to Avoid Fraud (View Flyer) July 17, 2007: (Sacramento, CA) – The Escrow Institute of California (EIC) today published a flyer designed to help consumers avoid property fraud. The EIC flyer contains important information on how to detect property fraud and gives examples of the types of schemes that con artists have used to bilk consumers. The flyer also focuses on recent schemes involving fraudulent internet transactions and phony escrow websites. Most importantly, the flyer provides a list of the “Warning Signs of Fraud” and “Tips for Avoiding Fraud.” “For 60 years, the Escrow Institute of California has been committed to protecting consumers’ real estate investments by providing them with practical information to guide them through the escrow process.  To that end, this flyer is designed to help consumers avoid fraudulent property transactions and to encourage them only to work with licensed escrow companies,” said P.J. Garcia, EIC Chairperson. Established in 1947, the Escrow Institute of California is a professional trade association that represents the licensed, independent escrow industry in California. EIC members are licensed by the California Department of Corporations, undergo background checks and fingerprinting by the Department of Justice and are bonded by the Escrow Agents’ Fidelity Corporation. Many EIC members are community-based, family-owned, small business enterprises with a customer base that is predominantly repeat business and referral based. EIC is a proud member of the Escrow Fraud Task Force, established in 2004 by the California Department of Corporations (DOC) in coordination with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Southern California High Tech Task Force and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. A copy of the “How to Avoid Property Fraud” flyer is attached to this release. The flyer can also be downloaded from the EIC website (www.escrowinstitute.com). View Flyer Read what the Central Valley Business Times wrote about this effort. Read More...   # # #