A Previous Owner Took Out A $50,000 HELOC Without Telling Anyone. The Current Owner Found Out While Trying To Refinance

Core Insights - A homeowner discovered a fraudulent $50,000 home equity line of credit (HELOC) opened on their property by the previous owner during a refinancing attempt [2][3] - The lender involved was PNC Bank, which did not provide details about the loan, stating it was not the homeowner's [3] - The homeowner faces a lengthy and costly legal battle to remove the lien, potentially taking 6 to 12 months and costing up to $15,000 [3] Title Insurance and Legal Implications - Title insurance could have potentially protected the homeowner, but its effectiveness is not guaranteed [4] - The timing of the title recording and the HELOC opening suggests a possible error by the bank, as the HELOC was opened after the title was recorded [4][5] - Legal advice from the community included filing police reports and contacting regulatory bodies, indicating a broader concern about banking practices [6]