SMITTEN WITH CUBA? Better call the love detective before you commit. Havana Private Investigator

HAVANA — As they begin to visit this long-forbidden island in greater and greater numbers, it is only natural that some American travelers will fall in love with Cuba. Others, with Cubans.
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And when they do, a few may return home anguished by doubts about their budding Cuban romances. Are they real? Or just scams to get off the island?
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They need a love detective.
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Fernando Alvarez does not advertise his services quite that way. He is a licensed private eye, with offices in Beverly Hills, Calif., and Coral Gables, Fla. His firm, Drakonx Investigations, claims to be the only one in the United States offering high-level, professional sleuthing services in Cuba. Infidelity cases are its specialty.
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“A lot of foreigners go to Cuba and fall in love, but when they start looking into what it will take to bring their girlfriend or boyfriend out of Cuba, they suspect things might not be quite what they seem,” Alvarez said. “They hire us to check it out.”
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The work is not legal in Cuba. Alvarez’s private detectives operate on the island at risk of arrest. But for roughly $100 to $200 a day, they will conduct surveillance and produce detailed reports and time-stamped photographs of their targets’ movements and encounters. They will trail them to beach resorts and nightclubs, and even record their restaurant conversations from a nearby table.
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With more and more tourists — especially U.S. visitors — streaming into Cuba, demand for this type of service is blooming with every beach-born romance. An amorous culture that is famously libertine and an economy that is famously dysfunctional have left little stigma in Cuba to deceiving one’s way off the island, even if it means breaking foreign hearts to do it.
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“Some Cuban men even encourage their girlfriends to marry a foreigner in order to eventually get them out,” Alvarez said, speaking from his office in Florida.
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Cautionary testimonials of fraud and deception are plentiful online, screaming with warnings like “NEVER MARRY A CUBANA.” Victims don’t fit a single profile, but older foreign men and lonely middle-aged foreign women appear to be prime targets for the beguilers.
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Some are looking for a long-distance sugar daddy they can string along; others wait until they’re out of Cuba to make their move, professing a sudden change of heart before running off.
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The problem is so bad in Canada — which sends nearly 1 million tourists to Cuba each year — that immigration officials there have launched ad campaigns warning tourists about “marriages of convenience.” A 2010 Canadian government report found that as many as one-quarter of the 700 fiance visas issued each year to Cubans in Havana were linked to such schemes.
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In one widely publicized 2013 case, an Ontario woman’s would-be groom went missing three days after stepping off the plane, taking all her money and leaving a badly misspelled goodbye note on a napkin: “Sorry I don’t fell love anymore. Don’t lock for me.”
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Alvarez said his detectives are trying to catch a few of these fraudsters before they can do that much damage. They offer a range of services for the love-struck-but-skeptical.
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Some clients are simply trying to determine whether their Cuban lover is two-timing. Others are the wives of foreign businessmen who travel to Cuba, wanting to know what other transactions their husbands may be engaged in. A few are looking for proof that their Cuban partner’s ex is truly an ex.
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Plenty of the relationships Alvarez’s team investigates prove to be authentic, of course, but he says a little extra certainty can save clients a great deal of financial and emotional stress.
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His investigators cope with anxieties of their own. Private detective services are not among the 200 or so trades authorized by communist authorities as part of President Raúl Castro’s gradual opening to small-scale private enterprise. Alvarez said his team is careful to steer clear of anything with criminal or political overtones to stay off the government’s radar.
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As an added measure of security, they do not accept Cuban clients who contact them from the island, wary of being trapped by undercover cops.
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The private investigators say they’re merely filling the service gap created years ago when Cuba’s state-run security company, SEPSA, stopped offering for-hire services.
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Alvarez, who came to Miami from Cuba a decade ago, would not say if any of the detectives he employs on the island are former or current Cuban intelligence agents or police.
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Two of his Cuban staffers agreed to meet a Washington Post reporter at a well-known hotel in Havana to provide evidence of their work. They gave their names only as “Alejandro” and “Sheila,” lowering their voices to a whisper whenever any hotel employees walked by.
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On a laptop were several case files with hundreds of annotated photos and audio recordings of prior surveillance targets. Some images had confirmed clients’ worst fears: a kiss at a doorway, a romantic embrace or lengthy hand-holding in the street.
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Alejandro said the Cuban investigative team handled more than 200 cases last year, ranging from a single day’s work to long-term surveillance. “All of the photos we obtain are taken in public places,” he said. “Our methods are in full compliance with Cuban law.”
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Clients typically contact Alvarez in the United States first, and he assigns the cases to the investigators in Cuba, who have no office. Once they’ve completed the surveillance work and filed their reports via e-mail, they erase evidence of the job from their computers, Alejandro explained.
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“We know we’re at risk of getting caught,” he said. “But the job pays well, it’s relatively easy to do and it’s always interesting.”
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Rates for their services vary depending on the job or the distance from Havana. In some instances, the detectives need to check into expensive resorts as fake guests in order to conduct surveillance on a subject trying to have an affair discreetly.
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“This kind of thing happens in every country, not just Cuba,” Sheila said. “The difference is that this work isn’t legal here yet.”
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The detectives do plenty of more prosaic casework too, locating missing heirs or long-lost relatives. A few wealthy foreign parents want their teenagers watched while they’re stumbling through Havana’s club scene. Another growing segment of the business caters to foreign investors eager to know whether their Cuban partners are flashing wealth while claiming losses.
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But Alvarez said the bulk of his cases are related to love.
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Last year, about 400,000 visitors traveled from the United States to Cuba, including nearly 100,000 trips by non-Cuban American travelers. That figure is expected to rise rapidly as U.S. travel restrictions are eased.
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“Cubans are very warm and affectionate,” Alvarez said. “When more Americans start to go there, especially if they’re single, they’re going to find a lot of temptations.”
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By Nick Miroff
April 23, 2015
The Washington Post
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“LOVE DETECTIVE” Promises to Keep Relationships Honest as More Americans Travel to Cuba. Havana Private Investigators

With Cuba US relations thawing, one entrepreneur hopes to expand his business on the island as a private detective for love relationships
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The thawing of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States has many American businesses and investors planning their approach.
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Doing business in Cuba is a controversial topic in South Florida. Some feel most of that money will only fuel the communist regime, while others believe it will create jobs for the Cuban people.
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It’s no secret Cuba’s been a forbidden fruit for many Americans. Tight restrictions remain, but rum and cigars can now legally make their way into the U.S. in small quantities.
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Investors also have their eyes on endless business opportunities and one South Florida man already took a bite out of an untapped market… private investigation.
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Fernando Alvarez says once Americans flock to the island, they’re sure to fall prey to a love trap, just like hundreds of foreigners before them, but not if he can prevent it.
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“In every case you need uncover the truth,” Alvarez said. “In every case you need to find out if the person is being faithful to the American who goes there and get in love with her.”
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Alvarez, the owner of Drakonx Agency, has been doing this type of work for more than 13 years and has four sleuths on the ground in Cuba.
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Alvarez will take on all sorts of investigations; however, his most requested assignments on the island are all about infidelity.
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“It’s difficult, the life in Cuba for many Cubans, specifically the young people. They don’t see a future in Cuba and they want to find a way out,” he said.
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Cuban-­foreigner relationships are nothing new. But as the Castro family tenure continues to extend past 55 years, many Cubans have grown more desperate.
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The only way out for some Cubans is marrying a foreigner and many will do whatever it takes, according to Alvarez, who says he’s seen it all.
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“The spouse, the husband or the boyfriend, acts like a pimp. They have their wife or girlfriend going out with foreigners so they can make money and they live a better life.”
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The agency’s detectives in Cuba, however, face a great risk. It’s a grey area when it comes down to private detective work on the island.
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“I mean it’s not legal, but it’s not illegal either,” Alvarez said.
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As Washington and Havana seek to normalize ties, the love detective expects to have his eye on more than just romance. Alvarez believes Americans who want to invest in Cuba will eventually hire a private investigator to get the full scoop before cashing out.
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“They’ll need to verify that everything is doing right that their business is protected, so they’ll need a private investigator the same way the need it here in America.“
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Not all of the agency’s investigations end up revealing fraud. Alvarez said he’s also uncovered many true love stories.
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A large majority of his infidelity case clients are Canadians for now, but he expects Americans will soon be next in line.
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Published Tuesday, Apr 28, 2015
NBC Miami | http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Love­Detective­Promises­to­Keep­Relationships­Honest­as­More­Americans­Travel­to­Cuba­301502421.html
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U.S. Private Eye helps clients figure out if Cuban love is for real. Havana Private Investigator.

The Canadian man fell in love with a beautiful Cuban woman on one of his trips to the island.

He lavished her with gifts and plenty of cash – sending anywhere from $400 to $2,000 a month. One day, she shared exciting news. There was a bundle of joy on the way.

He sent more money, enough for her to buy a home. Something, though, didn’t feel quite right.

A California­ based private investigation agency with sleuths in Cuba confirmed the man’s suspicions.

The Cuban woman lived with her real boyfriend – a Cuban man – in the home her Canadian paramour had financed, and the baby she was expecting was actually the Cuban man’s, not his.

“There are many people – men but also some women – who travel to Cuba, fall in love, but then they get suspicious,” said Fernando Alvarez, a licensed private investigator whose firm, Drakonx Investigations, gets plenty of requests from mainly Canadians, Americans and Spaniards to dig up information about the love interests they met while visiting Cuba who remained on the island.

“When I receive an infidelity case, 90 percent of the time the person [in Cuba] turns out to be cheating,” said Alvarez, who is 34 and came from Cuba about 10 years ago. “The reason they have a relationship with the foreigner is [either] immigration – they want to get out of Cuba – or money. They plan to stay in Cuba, but want to have a better life.”

Alvarez has sleuths working for him on the island, at their own peril, since private eye work is not legal in Cuba.

The investigators conduct surveillance of suspected cheaters and liars, following them and recording conversations when possible.

Canadians, whose nation has relations with Cuba and who long have accounted for a large chunk of tourists to the island – a million annually – are particularly vulnerable to the love trap.

The problem has reached such a critical point that Canada even launched a campaign in 2013 to warn its citizens about it, according to the Washington Post, which noted that a government study concluded that about 25 percent of the 700 fianceé visas issued each year to Cubans in Havana were based on scams.

The marriage fraud campaign featured a seven ­minute video posted on the website of the Citizenship and Immigration Canada agency that shared the real­ life stories of three Canadians who were dumped by foreign spouses – including a Cuban – after they obtained residence in Canada.

Privately run U.S. websites on travel to Cuba often also include warnings about untrue lovers.

Canada tightened immigration laws concerning marriages to foreigners “in part because of the high proportion of sham marriages emanating from Cuba, as well as the Dominican Republic,” noted the immigration guidelines website Immigroup.com.

The changes include requiring sponsored spouses to remain in a marriage for two years before they can acquire permanent resident status. If the couple breaks up before that, the migrant faces deportation. Canadians who have sponsored one spouse are prohibited from sponsoring a new one for five years.

Alvarez told Fox News Latino that other clients who seek a Cuba ­related investigation include Cuban­ Americans who send relatives money to start a business, and turn to Alvarez to make sure the funds are really being used for that purpose. There are also married people in Canada, the United States or Spain who want to know if a spouse traveling to Cuba for business or tourism is also partaking in extramarital activity.

“There was a Canadian male who went to Cuba, sometimes without his wife,” said Alvarez, whose firm was hired by the man’s wife. “We watched him and saw that he spent a week in a hotel with two Cuban females. He had a very good week.”

Alvarez stresses that desperation among Cubans is at the core of many of the scams.

“It doesn’t mean the people who do this are bad,” he said. “They’re hungry, they might make $20 a month, and they do what they can to survive.”

Alvarez cautions people traveling to the Caribbean nation to use common sense.

“There are many people who have met people in Cuba, fallen in love, gotten married and are very happy,” he said. “But you have to be very careful – not just in Cuba, but anywhere. Be very careful about requests to send money. If you want to help someone, that’s fine, but sending $100 a month is more than enough for a decent life [in Cuba]. Sending $500 means that person lives like a queen or king.”

“Use due diligence,” he told FNL. “Always check people out.”

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By Elizabeth Llorente
Published April 24, 2015 | Fox News Latino
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A TRUCK FOR MY SON. Los Angeles Private Investigator

“My truck was stolen, I need you to help me!” the call started from a desperate client. “My son just turned 18 years old and since a few months ago he started raising money to buy a truck. While it was not enough I offered him my help to complete the payment, but first, we had to find the truck he would like to buy. My son then searched for several internet sites where they offer used cars for sale and although he found several that he liked he decided on a very nice double cabin truck that cost only $5,000. We called the phone number of the seller and confirmed that he still had the truck and that he would gladly show it to us.
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“The next day we met with the owner in a shopping center in our city and we were surprised by the quality with which the gentleman, his first and only owner, had taken care of the truck, his painting and upholstery were in excellent condition and after driving it around, my son was convinced that it was the truck he wanted to buy.
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“The owner, an old man, humble, good-natured and nice, confirmed that now that he had retired he wanted to buy a new truck and needed to sell this one to use that money as down payment. The gentlemen had not brought the title of transfer, but that was not a problem because he will give it to us the next day. However, the registration of the vehicle was in his name as shown by his driver’s license. We decided then to pay him the $5,000 in cash and we were left with the truck and the registration because my son was afraid that the gentlemen would sell it to someone else if we did not buy it at that time.
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“That afternoon my son cleaned the truck and conditioned it to his liking, it was his first car of his own. He was very excited. The next day the truck was gone, it simply vanished during the night.”
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The first step when a crime occurs, and robbery is an offense obviously, is to report the fact to the police, but as my client was not the “registered” owner of the lost vehicle, we had to contact the seller to proceed to report it. Interestingly the seller’s phone was off, and my client only remembered a few details of his driver’s license, Lucky that his son had taken several photos of his new toy where the number of the plate was stamped.
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We started the investigation immediately, and in less than 24 hours and after several investigative techniques we discovered that what appeared to be a robbery was, in fact, a very rigged fraud.
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The owner, that good-natured gentleman, turned out to be really a career crook. Indeed he was the owner of the truck, therefore the sale had been legal, but he intentionally did not deliver the transfer title. Nor did my clients sign a contract of sale, not even paid by check or money order, but in cash.
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The crook had a locator in the vehicle and at night, when no one was looking, he took possession of it with a third copy of the key he kept. We located the address of the crook, visited and bingo; there was the truck, “the very body of crime”. Unfortunately, as there is no evidence of buying and selling, the claim litigation had to be based exclusively on a verbal contract. We found then that the crook already had two lawsuits against him, of two other victims, for scams similar to those of my clients, plus two other small claims for debts that completely ruined his credit.
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As he was a career crook he had already prepared himself in advance with his anti-demands shield because apart from that truck he had no other property, no retirement, and no money. The goods he enjoyed were under the name of his partner, with whom he was not married. Thanks to the evidence provided, my clients won the claim but could never recover their money, or the truck. The dream of the son became a sad nightmare of fraud, lies, and deceit.
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For your own protection, always be suspicious, never make any transaction without signing an agreement, avoid paying cash, never buy under pressure to lose the opportunity, very common tactic used by crooks, and never buy a vehicle without receiving the title deed signed by its rightful owner.
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Beware of fraud, but if you need my help, call us at 1-866-224-1245 or visit us at http://www.drakonx.com/
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By Private Detective Fernando Alvarez
March 28, 2016
DIARIO LAS AMERICAS
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Drakonx Investigations offers Private Investigator and Detective Services in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, San Fernando, Santa Ana, Long Beach, Van Nuys, Torrance, Pomona, San Gabriel, Whittier, Orange, Costa Mesa, Huntington Park, Huntington Beach, Culver City, North Hollywood, Burbank, Thousand Oaks, Tustin, El Monte, West Covina, San Dimas, Riverside, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Corona, Fullerton, Miami, Hialeah, Miami Lakes, Aventura, Miami Beach, Homestead, Kendall, Coral Gables, Doral, Miami Springs, Miami Gardens, North Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Hollywood, Miramar, Cutler Bay, Hialeah Gardens, The Hammocks, Sunny Isle, Bal Harbour, Cuba, Havana, Matanzas, Varadero, Camaguey, Santa Clara, Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Trinidad, Cienfuegos, Ciego de Avila, Isla de la Juventud, Guantanamo, Bayamo, Granma.
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MY BOYFRIEND ASKED ME FOR $2000 AND HE DOES NOT PICK UP THE PHONE! Miami Private Investigator

The scams, the frauds, the deceits, the lies and the betrayals, are the type of cases that are presented very often in our offices, and when we believe that we have already seen everything, we get one more surprise, a different case. I once received a woman in my office with a case that initially seemed like a very common family situation. This is what she told me:
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“I live with my 12 year old daughter, I have an average job and I have been going out with my current boyfriend for three months, he is a very affectionate and hard working man but at the same time a little mysterious. The last two weeks he was living with us, helping us a lot and taking care of bringing my daughter to school while I was working. Everything was going great. He convinced me that we needed $2000 to start a small computer repair and home security cameras business. I always had the dream of having my own business and I thought this was the opportunity to restart my sentimental life and work life with him, as a team. I agreed to use the tax refund money as soon as it arrived, but a few days later he was very desperate for not being able to get that money right away. To help him, I decided to borrow the money from a friend of mine and he agreed. The day after I had handed him the money, he left happy and ready to buy the necessary tools for the business, but since then he has not returned home, he has not called me, he is keeping his phone off and of course he has not returned me the money either. I do not know what has happened to him because everything fine between us.”
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My first question to the anguished woman was: Why do you think he is mysterious? “Because he knows everything about me and I do not know anything about him, I have never met his family or friends. He introduced to me at the beginning with a name and then one day while I was organizing his clothes, I saw his driver’s license and found that their surnames were different, and also by other details that I observed with the days passing by.
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It would be interesting to understand how the human mind works and why do we trust, so easily, in each other, without feeling the need to inquire, check and verify information before taking any decision, Especially in these times where the media inform us daily of how abusive the human being can become. Maybe it’s the instinct that always accompanies me for my work as a detective, but anyway my work is not and will not be judging people, but to investigate and discover the truth, and that is what I did in this case too.
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Our team of detectives began the investigation with the objective to identify and locate my client’s boyfriend so she could get her money back and find out why he took the decision to cut the relationship so suddenly. The information we had was little, but still we managed to finally identify him and get the results we were looking for.
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While my client believed that the real reason for the “disappearance” of her boyfriend was because of another woman, the situation was more complex than we thought. The subject dragged several debts behind him, the address he used on his driver’s license was from a mailbox, the vehicle he drove had its license plate expired and even worse, this “caring and hard-working man” who “took care of bringing the daughter from school” was registered as a sexual predator on a child pornography case. While this information would greatly help my client to make a better decision in her life, still did not answer the question about her boyfriend’s whereabouts and of course, of her money. Our investigation determined that for several weeks our subject was not reporting to his assigned parole officer. We also discovered that he recently had another incident involving minors and that after his “disappearance” he had crossed the border in an attempt to evade justice, but not before having kept the money of some more people. The disappearance had been planned beforehand, his situation was getting complicated and needed some money to escape to the other side of the border and my client was an easy prey. $2000 may not seem like a lot of money, but for a fugitive who is trying to escape is a big help.
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I presented the results to my client and she was shocked, she could not believe it, but there was no doubt, the evidence was clear. In addition to being unexpectedly without a boyfriend, (of course she would never go back with him), and without her dreamed own business, had been left with a debt of $2,000 and the horror of thinking that the treasure of his life, her 12-year-old daughter, had been exposed to a danger which is better not to even think about it. Mistake, frustration, and fear were clear feelings on her face. She would never have imagined herself in a situation like this.
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No matter how many times we hear the phrase “Blind Trust is Dangerous”, we always end up trusting; trusting is not a bad thing but we must always verify those with whom we are going to share money, goods, the care of our children and of course, our own lives. If businesses and government agencies always check the background of those who apply for a job, why should not we make the same inquiries about those people in whom we are going to place our trust? The so-called “Due Diligence” applies not only to businesses before they sign contracts with other businesses, but in all those matters that can affect our life and our family. Never feel bad for investigating the person with whom you are going to unite your life. For your own sake always check. Remember what the teacher said “…be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”
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Beware of fraud, but if you need help, call us at 888-224-1245 or visit us at http://www.drakonx.com/
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April 4, 2016
By Private Detective Fernando Alvarez
DIARIO LAS AMERICAS
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INFIDELITY OR FRAUD? Los Angeles Private Investigators

I received a call from a woman who told me: “I suspect my partner is being unfaithful to me, he is no longer acting the same with me, his attitude has changed toward me and he is spending many hours away from home without a good explanation. I just want to know the truth to make my own decision, especially now that we are waiting to receive a credit line.”
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Infidelity is a very common type of case that we receive in our offices every day, but these are often accompanied by certain ingredients that make them very special and dangerous, financially speaking.
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“I was widowed several years ago and with the sweat of my forehead I ended up paying my house and my car. Two years ago I met Jose (name changed) my current partner, although after the loss of my husband I had no interest in a new relationship, the time, the expenses and the solitude made me change my mind. Since we began to live together, Jose helps me with the expenses of the house and the trips that we made together. About two months ago his attitude towards me changed, he no longer wanted to visit my relatives, nor go to church with me like we did before and he was coming to the house too late; I asked him on several occasions why his change and finally he replied that it was because economically he did not feel at ease, that he needed to change his lifestyle and live better, Then he suggested that we get a loan on my house to have more money available, make improvements to the property and be able to vacation more. I have never been in favor of living on credit but I agreed. He found the real estate agent to begin with the loan process and we are waiting for the line of credit. His attitude changed again, returned to be more affective with me, but he is still arriving late to the house and I am worry that he has another woman, if so; I would cancel the loan and end my relationship with him. “
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During the following days we kept Jose under surveillance to determine what he did during his free time, what places he visited and who his friends were. In my experience, infidelity comes afloat in a few days; we just need to be patient. During his spare time, Jose visited friends, certainly not so reputed bars and the real estate agent’s office. While visiting these bars, he was very flirtatious with the female bartenders, but there was no indication that he was having a relationship with any of them. Obviously, my client would not be pleased to know that his partner frequented these bars, this was not the Jose she knew.
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Based on some of the results we obtained and to the analysis we made of the case we began to see that perhaps Jose’s attitude was not due to another woman but rather to a macabre fraud in progress. I asked my client to see the copies of the loan process but it was not possible because she did not have copies of any of those documents. She being the owner of the house signed all documents but did not get copies of them. I also asked her if she could read in English, and her response was also negative. This smelled bad! From the beginning, it seemed very rare for a real estate agent to be the right person to process a bank loan. I contacted an old colleague of mine who besides being a private detective he was also a real estate agent with many years of experience in that field. We plan a strategy with my client and the result was a success.
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Few days later, and by appointment, my client received in his house the real estate agent along with Jose, to sign the some of the loan documents, but since everything was already planned, my colleague and I walked into the house minutes later and my client gave us the documents she was about to sign at that time. My colleague reviewed the documents and told my client aloud “These are not documents to request a loan but documents to transfer your property to another person, whose name has not been written yet.” Jose and his agent panicked, his “theatrical” had fallen and the fraud had become evident. The real estate agent burst into tears because she knew the legal consequences she could face and asked my client for forgiveness at the same time as she described in detail Jose’s plan to keep the property and the money she was paying her to carry out that process. That was the moment of opportunity to inform the crime to the authorities, but my client made the decision not to proceed against any of them if Jose picks up his belongings at that very moment and disappeared from her life forever. There is no need to say that my client never saw Jose again.
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For your own sake, always be suspicious; never sign blank documents or documents that you cannot understand, either because they are written in another language or in a very technical language. Always consult with a lawyer or a professional to avoid becoming a victim of a fraud like this one.
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Beware of fraud, but if you need help, call us at 888-224-1245 or visit us at www.drakonx.com
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April 11, 2016
By Private Detective Fernando Álvarez
DIARIO LAS AMERICAS
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Drakonx Investigations offers Private Investigator and Detective Services in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, San Fernando, Santa Ana, Long Beach, Van Nuys, Torrance, Pomona, San Gabriel, Whittier, Orange, Costa Mesa, Huntington Park, Huntington Beach, Culver City, North Hollywood, Burbank, Thousand Oaks, Tustin, El Monte, West Covina, San Dimas, Riverside, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Corona, Fullerton, Miami, Hialeah, Miami Lakes, Aventura, Miami Beach, Homestead, Kendall, Coral Gables, Doral, Miami Springs, Miami Gardens, North Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Hollywood, Miramar, Cutler Bay, Hialeah Gardens, The Hammocks, Sunny Isle, Bal Harbour, Cuba, Havana, Matanzas, Varadero, Camaguey, Santa Clara, Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Trinidad, Cienfuegos, Ciego de Avila, Isla de la Juventud, Guantanamo, Bayamo, Granma.
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THE ALLEGED IMMIGRATION AGENT. Miami Private Investigator

A woman contacted me one day with the following case:
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My husband and I do not have legal documentation in the United States; a relative of us, who also is undocumented, referred us to Alberto (name changed), an immigration officer who would fix our immigration status for the payment of $10,000 per person or $15,000 per couple. Our relative is already in the process and my husband and I also started ours with an initial down payment of $5,000. At first I was convinced that this was the solution to obtain the residence, but now I doubt and fear that it is a scam. Alberto was introduced to us by our relative at the exit of the immigration building because he works there as an officer. We met him in a nearby Cafe and there we were explained the process, the cost and the documents that we had to deliver. We paid him that same day. As to date we have received two letters from immigration, one in the name of my husband and another in my name. Everything is in the process but now Alberto says that due to the increase in prices by immigration, the cost for us will also go up. I just want to be sure this is not another trap.
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Fraud can have a thousand faces, but it is still the same. Particularly in the field of immigration in the United States where there is a combination of the need of undocumented immigrants, their life savings and the shamelessness of some scammers, who based on gadgets, steal the dream and money from the most desperate people.
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Once we were hired our first step was to identify Alberto, we used the data that our client had provided but every result was negative, the name was false. The phone number was pre-paid and registered to no one. Other than that, our client had no more information. Due to this situation, we needed to make personal contact with Alberto but we had a problem, although our client suspected of a possible scam, her husband was convinced that Alberto was a real immigration official and that investigating him would only upset him and obstruct the process.
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However we had an ace up our sleeve and we managed to achieve a referral. A few days later Alberto was already communicating with one of our undercover agents who were posing as an undocumented. Alberto could not meet with our agent in those days because he was in training in Washington but would notify him upon his return. Patience despairs many people eager to know the truth, but detectives most have a lot of patience to achieve our goals.
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Finally the phone rang; it was Alberto confirming that he was back and ready to meet with his new “undocumented client.” The appointment would be the next day outside the building of migrations. Indeed, Alberto went out the front door, Dress suit and tie and with the immigration employee’s credential. Who could distrust, if he spoke the English language very well, had knowledge of immigration and was very educated. After explaining to the undercover agent the process and the cost, which were still $10,000 per person and $15,000 per couple, when his prices had supposedly gone up, Alberto then returned inside the building. Interestingly when approaching the door he hid his credential and after entering the building he went straight to the public bathroom from where he left several minutes later much changed, and then he left the building and headed to a nearby street where he boarded his vehicle. Although it was already obvious that Alberto was a crook, and that he was also impersonating a federal agent, our investigation was still in its infancy.
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We followed Alberto very cautiously and after a few hours and several stops we located his home and the next day his true identity. He had no criminal record but many debts caused by various civil lawsuits and of course he was not an immigration official as he claimed. But what about the letters our client had received? After a few verifications we confirmed that they were false, so were envelopes without postmarks, the case number was real but it did not belong to our client or her husband. The fraud was confirmed. My client sighed in anger and sadness, her husband was very angry because no one likes to be a victim of fraud. They did not want to sue, nor did it make much sense, but I was authorized to give the results of the investigation to the government for a potential prosecution of this crook. Maybe today Alberto is in federal prison or a fugitive, I do not know, will not be the first or the last. Maybe my clients still believe they lost $5,000, but from my point of view, I consider that they paid $5,000 to learn not to trust even in their own shadow.
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Beware of Immigration Fraud; do not believe that it is so easy to bribe the system of immigration in the United States, do not rely on magic promises or the professional look of people. Investigate, verify and be sure to consult an immigration attorney or a specialist with a real office. Avoid meetings on the street, avoid paying cash.
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Beware of fraud, but if you need help, call us at 888-224-1245 or visit us at http://www.drakonx.com/
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April 18, 2016
By Private Detective Fernando Alvarez
DIARIO LAS AMERICAS
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Drakonx Investigations offers Private Investigator and Detective Services in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, San Fernando, Santa Ana, Long Beach, Van Nuys, Torrance, Pomona, San Gabriel, Whittier, Orange, Costa Mesa, Huntington Park, Huntington Beach, Culver City, North Hollywood, Burbank, Thousand Oaks, Tustin, El Monte, West Covina, San Dimas, Riverside, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Corona, Fullerton, Miami, Hialeah, Miami Lakes, Aventura, Miami Beach, Homestead, Kendall, Coral Gables, Doral, Miami Springs, Miami Gardens, North Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Hollywood, Miramar, Cutler Bay, Hialeah Gardens, The Hammocks, Sunny Isle, Bal Harbour, Cuba, Havana, Matanzas, Varadero, Camaguey, Santa Clara, Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Trinidad, Cienfuegos, Ciego de Avila, Isla de la Juventud, Guantanamo, Bayamo, Granma.
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THE CASE OF THE FAKE LAWYER. Miami Private Investigator

Scammers have no respect or shame, but they have much creativity to confuse their victims. This case demonstrates why anyone should not be trusted and much less when one is in the middle of a desperate situation.
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An old customer called me and told me the following: “A friend of mine and I bought a business a while ago and we are trying to improve it but we have certain serious problems where we need the help of a lawyer to solve them and we have to move fast. My friend met Antonio (name changed), a lawyer, in a social event of entrepreneurs, those where business cards are exchanged. My friend explained the situation we need to resolve and Antonio explained the steps he needed to take and the cost of his help, $5,000. My friend thought it was a very good idea and when he mentioned it to me we agreed to hire Antonio’s services, since his fees were cheaper than other lawyers. The next day we called him to have an appointment in his office, conveniently located near the court, but he was on his way to our area and invited us to meet in a well known restaurant. During the meeting he did not give me a good feeling, I do not know, but I just could not trust Antonio. I think he realized my distrust and that’s why he reduced his fees to $4,000. My friend, desperate to solve the problems of the business, accepted the offer and made the payment by check. I just want to know if this man is a serious lawyer, if he specializes in business law and if he does not have any complaint against his license. “
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Today the internet offers a high range of online services, free and paid, which allow you to verify certain information about people and companies. Most of these sites have outdated information or information about other people and companies with the similar names. It is always advisable to use these sites, but we must be sure that we are investigating the correct person; you have to look beyond appearances and look at the small details. Private detectives use databases, contacts and more developed strategies to reach the bottom of each case, each situation and of course of each fraud.
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My client’s request was not difficult, because it was basically a question of verifying the reputation and background of a professional. We started by verifying his lawyer’s license and it was active and without penalties in the bar association. We also checked his civil and criminal background, and it was clean. The only thing that caught our attention was the office address where our clients were going to meet Antonio did not match the address of the office registered in the bar association nor in the web site of that lawyer, neither the telephone number was the same. I know that many lawyers have more than one office and more than one phone number but normally they have that information updated on their web pages. These kinds of information conflicts create doubts and require more inquiries.
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We proceeded to verify and to obtain photos of the lawyer that appeared in the records of the bar association and also of the person with whom my clients hired, and it turned out that they were not the same person. We send a photo of the real lawyer to the client and a few minutes later he called and told me “No, that’s not Antonio; you are investigating the wrong person.” While we were talking on the phone I sent the photograph of the other person and he replied: “yes, this is Antonio”. I told him “Bingo, case solved! Let me explain to you, the first picture is the real lawyer; the second is of a thief who is posing as a lawyer and unfortunately, you fell into his trap. This afternoon you will have the results.” The client sighed deeply, his suspicions were true, but it was a bit late.
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The crook, posing as a lawyer, had the same name and surname as the real lawyer. The leasing office was formerly used by another lawyer and was still listed on the internet as a law firm, thus giving more confidence to the victims of this con artist. The crook did not deposit the check but cashed it on the bank of my client and of course, his driver’s license was registered. The background of this subject confirmed that he had several cases of fraud in the past and that he had been arrested for armed robbery. Apparently during his stay in prison he learned a lot about legal issues and also how to speak as a lawyer. Although this swindler was still on parole, he did not mind cheating and wreaking havoc. My client reported him to the police, the bar and the lawyer. A few days later this subject was arrested again because there were several complaints against him for similar scams. Although justice was done in this case, my clients were unable to recover their $4,000 and they still needed a lawyer to solve their legal problems.
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For your own sake, always be suspicious. Never hire a lawyer or any professional without first checking their credentials. Meet them in their office and be sure to sign a contract. Never make decisions under pressure, because despair is blind and does not let you think clearly. Use the internet to inquire and verify the professionals you are going to hire; protect your money and avoid unpleasant surprises.
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Beware of fraud, but if you need help, call me at 1-866-224-1245 or visit me at www.drakonx.com
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April 5, 2016
By Private Detective Fernando Alvarez
DIARIO LAS AMERICAS
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BANKRUPT BUSINESS FOR SALE. Los Angeles Private Investigator

“Bankrupt business for sale. Beware of fraud”
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Many immigrant families move to the United States every year looking for, among other reasons, political stability, economic and security that this great country offers. What many of these people do not imagine is that the scam has no flag or shame and that it may be their own compatriots who are waiting to give them an economic “stab” in the back. So one of my clients wrote to me:
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“My husband, my children and I moved to the United States just two months ago because of the difficult economic situation in our country. As we have always had our own business, we decided to buy here an established business to have a source of work and income while revalidating our professional degrees. Through friends and acquaintances we received offers of some businesses for sale, among them the sale of a restaurant of typical food of our country. We were interested in the last one and we called the owner, Joaquin (name changed), who summoned us to go to lunch the next day, to meet at the restaurant and so talk about the business. We asked him if he could see us that day but he said he could only come the next day. We attended, my husband and I, at lunch and Joaquin behaved very kindly with us, and showed us the location, the kitchen and the employees, who had no problem in continuing to work under our administration. We were fascinated, everything looked great, very clean and there were many customers, especially young people. The price was also very attractive $150,000. We asked to see a copy of the fiscal records from last year, but at the time he did not have them with him. He told us that reported numbers were very low, because they did not report everything they entered to avoid paying more taxes. We told him we would think about it, although we were already determined to buy it, and that we would meet the next day to sign the contract of sale and proceed to pay by bank transfer. We left the restaurant and as we walked towards our vehicle, a young man passed by me and said “do not buy it, it’s a fraud” and left quickly, almost running. I told my husband and now we are in doubt. Maybe that young man lied but if he said the truth we want to know. We asked Joaquin to give us a few more days to make the decision; In fact we changed the appointment to sign the contract of purchase for the following week, however he called us every so often to pressure us that there were other people interested in buying it. This has us stressed, because on one hand we want to buy it and on the other hand we do not want to get into a problem. How could you help us? “
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“Investigating, ma’am, investigating, finding the truth, that’s what we can do for you, because that’s what we know how to do.” So simple was my answer. She accepted and we immediately began the investigation.
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The research strategy would be to check the background of the business and its owners, as well as some undercover operations developed in the location itself to obtain more information. The truth soon came to light. To start Joaquin was not the real owner, but his father; nevertheless it was Joaquin who administered it. Interestingly the restaurant had no registered employees since all the employees that our client had known the day of his visit were relatives of Joaquin and they would leave as soon as the sale and transfer took place. Joaquin and his father bought the restaurant at $200,000 and were now selling it at $150,000. No one sells a good deal at a lower price than they paid for it originally. While the business itself had no debts, Joaquin and his father had acquired several debts on a personal level since they bought the restaurant. Undercover investigations confirmed that the business did not leave profits from the beginning and that he changed owner almost every year. Because of the bad business decision, Joaquin and his father did not get along. Joaquin was forced to sell the restaurant urgently and try to recover as much money as possible. His selling strategy was easy, when someone was interested in buying the restaurant, Joaquin invited him or her for lunch on a specific day and then called several friends and his sister’s schoolmates to “act” as clients, in order to sell the image of a prosperous business, but as soon as the potential buyers left, everything returned to the harsh reality of a failed business. The restaurant could not be worth more than $70,000, as we could estimate, but that was very little for Joaquin, who went from preparing meals to preparing a fraud, “bait-and-switch”.
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My clients were satisfied, especially since they did not lose $150,000. Then I asked them: What would have happened if that young man had not notified them in the parking lot that day and we had not done the research? Their answer was clear and concise: “Today we would be the owners of a bankrupt business.”
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When it comes to investing, remember the golden rule that says: always be wary. It is here precisely when due diligence, proper investigation is recommended.
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Beware of fraud, but if you need help, call us at 866-224-1245 or visit us at www.drakonx.com
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May 2, 2016
By Private Detective Fernando Alvarez
DIARIO LAS AMERICAS
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Drakonx Investigations offers Private Investigator and Detective Services in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, San Fernando, Santa Ana, Long Beach, Van Nuys, Torrance, Pomona, San Gabriel, Whittier, Orange, Costa Mesa, Huntington Park, Huntington Beach, Culver City, North Hollywood, Burbank, Thousand Oaks, Tustin, El Monte, West Covina, San Dimas, Riverside, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Corona, Fullerton, Miami, Hialeah, Miami Lakes, Aventura, Miami Beach, Homestead, Kendall, Coral Gables, Doral, Miami Springs, Miami Gardens, North Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Hollywood, Miramar, Cutler Bay, Hialeah Gardens, The Hammocks, Sunny Isle, Bal Harbour, Cuba, Havana, Matanzas, Varadero, Camaguey, Santa Clara, Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Trinidad, Cienfuegos, Ciego de Avila, Isla de la Juventud, Guantanamo, Bayamo, Granma.
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THE FALSE REAL ESTATE AUCTION AGENT. Miami Private Investigator

Although I have already investigated and provided evidence in countless cases of scams and I have managed to prevent many frauds, I am still impressed by the level of devious and disrespect of many scammers. They do not care about anything; they do not even seem to be afraid of jail. Some of them conduct their frauds in broad daylight and leave their personal information at every step.
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By reference of an old client I was contacted by a couple from another state with the following case: “For some years now we have wanted to sell the property we have in another city, whose current value is very high and then buy several commercial and residential properties in this city to be able to rent them out and dedicate us full time to the real estate business. Four months ago we visited a property for sale at a very good price, although we were not interested in buying it, the owners put us in touch with a court appointed real estate auction agent, who processed the sale of property foreclosed by the court with very good prices. We immediately contacted the agent and agreed to an appointment that same day at one of the properties. Benjamin (name changed) was dressed in uniform, judicial plaque on his belt and identification of the judicial system. That day we visited 3 properties, two apartments and a house. The process, he explained, was simple, the properties were repossessed and their titles transferred to a lawyer authorized by the court, we should make a payment of $20,000 for each property and continue the mortgage payments. To close the deal, Benjamin and the lawyer presented us with the properties’ documents confirming that these properties were under the name of the lawyer. Because the properties were repossessed for lack of payments, the court only allowed payment in cash or by bank transfer. We sign the required contract in the lawyer’s office and the following week we proceeded with the transfer of $60,000 to the account of Agent Benjamin. We have been waiting for a month and a half to receive the transfer document so that we can take possession of the properties and start with the needed renovations, but Benjamin is still postponing us. Although at first everything seemed very correct, now we have begun to suspect that things are not as we believed. We need you to help us clarify this situation.”
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Making a deal signed by a lawyer and a judicial agent, both authorized by the court, does not sound like fraud, but I do not think it is right that my clients had to make a transfer to the personal account of the judicial agent. We must investigate this, I responded to my desperate clients.
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Although I thought that in a few days we would clarify the situation and give good news to my clients to stop worrying, all I could do was uncover a Pandora’s Box. Benjamin was not a judicial agent of the court, but a convicted felon who had paid time for imprisonment for various crimes of fraud including charges for “criminal organization to commit fraud”, “Falsification of signatures of legal documents”, “false presentation as a judicial agent” and several civil claims for debts. The alleged lawyer was just another fraudster who had been committing misdemeanors for some years, some of them with Benjamin. Apart from Benjamin and the fake lawyer, we identified three other individuals who were part of this new “criminal organization to commit fraud” led by Benjamin. The fraud process was simple, Benjamin and companion identified properties whose owners did not occupy and/or were failing their mortgage payments, then began a process called “Quitclaim Deed”, in which they falsified the signatures of the legitimate owners to generate a transfer in the name of the alleged lawyer. In many of these frauds the real owners never learned of this deceptive process until very late. Once with the new property documents in their hands, they gained access to the property and sought bargain buyers, almost always “novice investors” who were asked for an attractive figure and occasionally proceeded to perform another “Quitclaim Deed” in favor of the new buyers. When the real owners were informed, they opened court cases against Benjamin and his false lawyer and the new buyers were left without property and without money. By that time Benjamin and company had withdrawn the money and had vanished. This type of fraud affected two victims, real owners and bargain shoppers. The disrespect of these criminals was so big that they did not mind being identify; even knowing that these types of crimes are paid with jail time.
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For your own safety always check the licenses of the alleged professionals. Distrust everyone until proven otherwise. If you are going to make a deal with a company or with the courts, be sure to pay that entity and not the personal account of an employee. Do not believe that you are immune to fraud; because fraudsters know very well how to sell bait and switch.
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Beware of fraud, but if you need help, call us at 866-224-1245 or visit us at www.drakonx.com
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June 7, 2016
By Private Detective Fernando Alvarez
DIARIO LAS AMERICAS
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Drakonx Investigations offers Private Investigator and Detective Services in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, San Fernando, Santa Ana, Long Beach, Van Nuys, Torrance, Pomona, San Gabriel, Whittier, Orange, Costa Mesa, Huntington Park, Huntington Beach, Culver City, North Hollywood, Burbank, Thousand Oaks, Tustin, El Monte, West Covina, San Dimas, Riverside, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Corona, Fullerton, Miami, Hialeah, Miami Lakes, Aventura, Miami Beach, Homestead, Kendall, Coral Gables, Doral, Miami Springs, Miami Gardens, North Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Hollywood, Miramar, Cutler Bay, Hialeah Gardens, The Hammocks, Sunny Isle, Bal Harbour, Cuba, Havana, Matanzas, Varadero, Camaguey, Santa Clara, Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Trinidad, Cienfuegos, Ciego de Avila, Isla de la Juventud, Guantanamo, Bayamo, Granma.
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