Question by **ME**: My cousin-in-law is trying to involve my husband in her mortgage fraud scheme…..?
Here’s the deal…
My cousin-in-law called my husband yesterday and dropped a ‘guilt-bomb’ on him about how she’s about to lose her house unless she refinances. ( I call it a guilt bomb because she supported him under her roof for a short while in the past…and now she EXPECTS him to do this, and in turn, he feels obligated/and guilty)
She is asking for him to a deposit a couple of his personal checks into her bank account(‘PROOF‘ in the form of ‘rent’ payments)….so that she can turn around and report it to the mortgage company(that she plans to refinance with) that she rents out a room to him. Thus, lying about this to them to make it seem as if it is an additional source of income. She is also telling him that he has to not let it be known that he is related to her.
Now..my hubby and I are a young couple, especially when it comes to mortgages etc etc..we’re in our early 20s and inexperienced in these things. BUT…..I do know that what the cousin is requesting of him IS AGAINST THE LAW. He’s judgment is blurred by the emotional attachment!
He feels obligated. It seems as if he is willing to do this…out of guilt. I kinda understand how he feels emotionally, but anybody could see that this is wrong. And the consequences aren’t worth the risk.
I am having difficulty pinpointing the laws to show him. The first thing that came to my mind was MORTGAGE FRAUD. After a bit of researching, I found some info on INCOME FRAUD.
It’s sad because his cousin called and explained so non-chalantly that ‘oh blah blah, i only need you to do this ‘small’ favor for me etc etc…’ and then she commenced to drop the guilt bomb by saying, ‘if you don’t do this, I will lose me and my kids house’
I am so flustered. I’m done yelling at him for being so gullible in the first place. Now I need to hit him with the laws and the consequences.
So here’s my question..pertaining to this situation…WHAT LAW DOES THIS REFER TO? and… WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES?
How do I explain to him the severity and consequences of what she is asking him to do?
Best answer:
Answer by scott b
You husband has no obligation to commit FRAUD and risk jail for her. And, in my opinion the BEST reason not to do it is that this cousin thinks so little of HIM that she is asking him to commit a crime for her. People that care for one another don’t DO that, and he shouldn’t even consider doing this person a “favor” like that.
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The fact that she helped your husband out at some point does not give her the right to ask your husband to commit fraud. All he needs to do is tell her that he would be happy to repay the debt someone legally but asking him to break the law in exchange for past kindness is not reasonable.