Nelson Rodriguez

Terrorists have found a new, highly profitable way to fund their nefarious activities — mortgage fraud — placing Notary Signing Agents (NSAs) in the middle of these scams that could lead to significant national security threats.

While the connection between terrorism and mortgage fraud is still emerging, several high-profile cases illustrate the threat. One notable case involves Ahmad Jebril and his father Musa Jebril, both of Dearborn, Michigan, who were convicted in federal court of using fake identities to defraud six banks and up to 50 people of $400,000. According to federal authorities, the Jebrils were active supporters of Hamas.

According to an expert from mortgage prevention firm Interthinx, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and the Taliban have set up fraud rings in the United States. While the stakes are high, the best tactic for NSAs is sticking to best practices, including taking fingerprints for every transaction even if state law does not require it. NSAs also can quiz signers about details on their IDs as a means of double-checking that they are legitimate. Of course, any NSA who suspects that fraud is being committed should contact local law enforcement.

Information obtained from the NNA website, Notary Signing Agent section.