Another stolen home case due to phony deed in Queens

LAURELTON, N.Y. (WABC) -- We first brought you the story of a stolen house in Laurelton, Queens, last week. A homeowner discovered that the locks of her family home had been changed, her belongings trashed, and strangers inside.

Read previous story:

http://7online.com/realestate/the-case-of-the-stolen-home/110105/

Now, another victim has come forward.

The City Finance Commissioner has asked the Queens District attorney and the Sheriff's office to coordinate an investigation into the cases Eyewitness News has uncovered and this could be just the tip of the iceberg.

"Someone forged your signature, clearly," said Tony Jungit.

It became frighteningly clear to Jungit he was a victim of deed fraud when he put is Laurelton, Queens home on the market-he needed a larger place for his expanding family.

Sarah Wallace: "When you saw this deed that you sold your home for $5,000, what went thru your mind?"

Jungit: "Shock...The signatures are not mine. They're not my wife's, and what's worse, the date that it was signed, I wasn't even in the country."

Sarah Wallace: "So everything is fraudulent."

Jungit: "Everything is fraudulent, everything is fraudulent."

Eyewitness News has learned the corporation listed as the buyer, 1 SAM 17 Inc. doesn't exist, the homeowner who lives at the address listed for the company told us he doesn't know who they are but he keeps getting mail for them.

Jungit says he got no help when he contacted cops or the finance department.

"The finance department said get a court order from a Judge. I mean, how is this even right," he said.

Jungit called us after seeing our story last week of another fraud victim, Jennifer Merin, who owns a home in the same Queens neighborhood.

Family treasures in Merin's home for generations were trashed or stolen, and we found strangers in her house who didn't want to talk to us.

"Honestly, I went into a panic because they moved into the poor woman's house," said Jungit...I don't need someone knocking on the door unannounced and saying that they own this property."

He adds, "Someone else does not need to go thru this."

Sarah Wallace: "I know, it's scary, right?"

Jungit: "Terrifying."

Both Jungit and Merin are now filing court orders saying they are the rightful owners

"This is not something that we should pay a price for. We're already a victim," said Merin.

Sarah Wallace: "And now you have to go back and say, this is my house."

Jungit has been in contact with the DA's office which now launching a full investigation, but clearly the breakdown begins with the Finance Department and the process for recording deeds.

New York City property owners can protect themselves against fraud by registering their deeds and registering in a free program called Notice of Recorded Document. That program notifies registrants of deed-related and mortgage related documents that are recorded against their property.