A Sandy Springs family nearly avoided being evicted from their home due to a fraudulent scheme conducted by a fake landlord.
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In a report by Atlanta News First, the Gibson family purchased their home in 2020 for $480,000, and Shelia Gibson said she didn’t owe any rent to the landlord based on her records. However, in December 2022, she found a notice on her gate stating, “Scheduled to be evicted immediately by the Fulton County Marshal’s Department.” Other court documents revealed that deputies had attempted to execute the eviction in October 2022 but could not gain access to the property due to a malfunctioning gate.
The “landlord” in Gibson’s case was identified as Michael James Bourff, who filed eviction paperwork claiming he was the agent of her home and that the family owed $12,000 for past-due rent. He also applied to “execute writ of possession” to seize the property. Bourff alleges that Gibson failed to respond to the initial eviction notice, but she insists that she was never served and does not owe any rent.
“It’s just so crazy how someone can walk into an office, provide no identification, and no one bothers to check to ensure this person actually owns the home,”
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There has been a series of property thefts in metro Atlanta, where scammers have stolen deeds and committed real estate fraud. Under Georgia’s law, clerks are not permitted to ask for photo IDs when someone files for a deed, and notaries who stamp the deeds lack oversight. Homeowners are unaware of the fraudulent activities until it’s too late. Georgia lawmakers have approved new measures to address the issue, which will take effect next year. However, there is another loophole when filing eviction paperwork since no proof of property ownership is required.
Although Gibson’s attorney filed a civil suit against Bourff, and the court ruled in her favor, he filed an appeal.
