Feds wise to homebuyer fraud plot

DEAR BERNICE: My husband and I would like to purchase an investment property in the suburbs where we grew up. We are currently renting a great loft condo downtown and love the city lifestyle. Our mortgage broker is telling us that if we do not occupy the property, we will have to pay a much higher interest rate. Can't we tell the lender that we're going to move into the property and then change our minds and rent the house instead? How's the lender going to know? --Michelle B.

DEAR MICHELLE: The answer to your question is that "yes," you could defraud the lender. Plenty of people have tried doing this in the past and a large number of them have been caught.

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