Cut through legal jargon: AI can translate complicated legal docs into something you’ll actually understand. Say you’re signing a lease and the contract is confusing. Copy and paste the text into ChatGPT and ask for a simpler explanation. When in doubt, check with a lawyer since AI is far from perfect.
This woman's home was stolen right from under her - Don't let it happen to you
Your home is likely the largest purchase you’ll ever make. Homeownership is a lifelong commitment between mortgage payments, taxes, insurance, maintenance, renovations, repair, and decorating.
Think about how much email correspondence you get just for your home. Bills and other important documents can get lost in the clutter of your inbox. You can prevent this by creating an email address just for your home. Tap or click here to learn more.
You’ve heard of car theft, but did you know that your home can also be a target? Home title theft is when someone, using fake identification, refiles your title document to sign your property over to them. Then they can sell it and pocket the money. A woman in Arizona recently fell victim to this terrible crime.
Here’s the backstory
A resident of Arizona was searching for her deceased father’s home on the country assessor’s website and immediately realized something was wrong, Arizona’s Family reported.
Debi Gotlieb’s father’s home was still in probate, which typically means the assets were under review by a probate court to determine their distribution to beneficiaries. This can be a long process, and her father’s home should have come up as still under his ownership.
Instead, Debi found the home listed on the market and owned by Zillow. She went to the home and found that all her father’s possessions were gone. She called the real estate agent who sold the house and then contacted the police. The police told her to stay out of the house as it wasn’t her property.
Debi had to hire a lawyer to get the house back before it was sold again.
The scheme
Debi’s family had fallen victim to a crime known as “Deed Fraud.” It can happen to anyone, but one study shows that 90% of deed fraud is committed by the victim’s family or friends, according to a real estate attorney who spoke to Arizona’s Family.
Deed fraud is a type of identity theft. When they claim ownership of the home, the crook uses fake documents and identification. If they need a notary signature (as some states require), they can use a false one or rope in a legitimate notary to help them with the scam.
With the help of her lawyer, Debi was able to get the home back. They sent a demand letter to Zillow and the company withdrew the sale and returned the deed. Though she got her house back, all her father’s possessions were still gone. This included mementos such as family photos.
Scammers are using photo copyright laws to scare you - Don't fall for it
You never know how scammers are going to target you. They will throw tons of crazy tactics at you to try and rip you off. A recent example is when criminals targeted Instagram users with bogus copyright claims.
The private messages supposedly came from the photo-sharing app’s Copyright Help Center, detailing the issue. But when users logged in through the fake link to dispute the claims, scammers captured their details and hijacked their accounts.
AI Legal advisor is sued for practicing law without a license
Sure, ChatGPT can pass the bar – but is it ready to be a lawyer? I tell you why not, in 60 seconds.
I’m no lawyer, but …: Docs in a lawsuit against OpenAI show the company destroyed two massive datasets used to train its GPT-3 AI model. The Authors Guild (paywall link) says they likely contained thousands of copyrighted books. Oh, and the “researchers” responsible for creating the datasets no longer work there. How convenient.
Super easy way to report potholes, downed trees and other nuisances
Navigating through traffic with bad drivers can be stressful enough. Tap or click here for three map apps that are better than Google if you have multiple stops.
But you don’t need the added frustration of dodging potholes and downed trees. While there isn’t much you can do about other drivers’ skills, you can report potholes.
Investing app Robinhood hit with a lawsuit. Here's an easy way to join
Handling legal issues can be a stressful process. Even with a good lawyer on your side, being in the midst of a legal battle can take a toll on your well-being.
Dealing with legal issues can be extremely costly, too. Whether it’s a minor traffic ticket that you forgot to pay or a civil lawsuit that has gotten out of hand, the legal battle will come with high price tags for attorneys, fees, court costs and other related issues. Luckily, there are services that can help.