4 years ago
PROCEED WITH CAUTION - I was embezzled from while ...
PROCEED WITH CAUTION - I was embezzled from while doing business with Rachel Lee and not once did she reach out to check on or speak with me. Even worse, Rachel refused to speak to the lead detective investigating the theft/fraud!
Please read before considering Rachel Lee as your realtor:
I hired Rachel Lee as my realtor to sell my home and assist with the purchase of a new property. At that time, I had never been through the home buying experience. (My former husband had always led our home buying efforts.) Essentially I was a first time home buyer and put my trust in Rachel Lee to help guide me through the process. Oh, how I wish I knew then what I know now! Side note, I have recently closed on a new home and comparing the two experiences I wanted to caution the public so no one has to endure what I did with Rachel.
Once I chose a home and went under contract with my "trusted' realtor (I use that term very loosely) my nightmare began. A week before closing I had my final CD issued (or what I thought to be my final CD) from the lending company, Fairway Mortgage. "Final" CD came via regular email without any secured website I needed to log into. Naive, I didn't question it. After signing the needed documents I went to the bank to pull out a cashier's check for closing. Please understand, I was putting 20% down and was hesitant to wire a large sum of funds. Moving forward, I took a snapshot of the cashier's check and sent it to Rachel so she was aware that everything on our end was complete and ready for the day of closing. She quickly directed me to return the cashier's check insisting, "Even if the check is only cents off it will push closing back days, funds MUST be wired!" Naturally, I heeded her warning and returned the cashier's check to the bank. The morning before closing I received an email from the title company addressed to Rachel Lee and myself with the wiring instructions. I confirmed with Rachel final amount of closing cost (so I could ensure the exact amount was being wired to the Title Company), time of our final walk through and time of closing the following day. After the wire transfer was initiated, I received an email from the lender on the morning of our scheduled closing. The email was titled, "Final CD" AND this email was sent through a secured server. I thought this to be odd so I followed up with the Title Company to confirm receipt of the wire transfer I had sent the previous day. To my ghastly surprise they communicated that they had just received the Final CD from the lender and we would have to wait three days before we were able to close! I immediately responded, "I have my final walk through of the property at 1:00 and closing at 2:00, it's already scheduled!" As those words flew out of my mouth I was momentarily frozen by shock, and then I began to realize what was happening (had happened). I began to feel the hope and excitement of my new home being replaced with loss and despair. It hit me like a ton of bricks...I had been embezzled from! I quickly tried to follow up with Rachel Lee, no response. Then I received a text message from her stating, "OMG, the correct email address from the title company is ____and the email address that sent the wire instructions had ___gmx__ it was different!!" Puzzled, "How did you already figure that out?!"
That was the LAST time I ever heard from Rachel Lee!
The detective leading my fraud/embezzlement investigation spoke with everyone involved with the unfortunate incident (numerous times) EXCEPT for Rachel Lee, she refused to communicate with the detective and help with our efforts to catch the perpetrators.