Wasden
BOISE, Idaho (Legal Newsline) - Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden announced on Wednesday that he has settled with a real estate agent who allegedly violated the Idaho Consumer Protection Act.
Daniel Myers and his now dissolved company, Paradigm Solutions LLC, allegedly allowed a client to sign an option contract with missing information that was added in later. The alleged information included the beginning and ending date of the option, the address and legal description of the property and the purchase price.
Myers allegedly filled in the missing information once the client signed the documents, which made it possible to figure important terms of the contract without the consumer's knowledge or consent.
Although the contract was supposed to be signed by a notary, Myers allegedly had his client's signature notarized outside of his client's presence.
Similar practices were allegedly carried out by Myers with other property owners who also signed contracts that contained blank spaces that were later filled in.
"It is a violation of the Idaho Consumer Protection Act to obtain the signature of a buyer to a contract when it contains blank spaces to be filled in after the contract is signed," Wasden said.
"Consumers should never sign a document with blank spaces. If anyone asks you to do so, that should raise a red flag and you would be wise to take your business elsewhere."
Under terms of the settlement, Myers will modify his business practices to comply with state law and respond quickly to any new complaints that arise.
He will also pay $1,500 to cover costs associated with the litigation. Any further violations would require him to pay a $10,000 civil penalty.
Myers was also issued a formal reprimand by the Idaho Real Estate Commission and ordered to pay them $6,300 in fines and costs.