The Orange County District Attorney has expanded efforts to combat foreclosure rescue scams and other real estate fraud cases, as the worst housing downturn in decades results in thousands of potential victims. Elizabeth Henderson, assistant DA, said 30% of the cases handled by the office’s major fraud unit are tied to real estate, up from an average 10% in past years. The DA has two prosecutors, two investigators and a paralegal focused just on real estate fraud, she said. The real estate squad is paid for, at least partially, with money from a $3 fee on the filing of certain real estate documents that was approved by the Board of Supervisors earlier this year. Henderson and District Attorney Tony Rackauckas spoke at a foreclosure prevention workshop put on by the Orange County Home Ownership Preservation Collaborative today in Garden Grove. Organizers included NeighborWorks America, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Reserve, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The event was meant to educate community and religious leaders on helping people avoid being scammed

Read more here – District Attorney steps up real-estate fraud investigations