[At-Large] Issue Report on Thick Whois

[Bill Silverstein]

> On 11/24/2011 07:59 AM, Evan Leibovitch wrote:
>
>> ... that real estate
>> ownership in most countries is public information.
>
> That is an urban legend.
>

No, it is not an urban legend. It is a fact. It is an urban legend as a
person is not allowed to file bankruptcy when they have much more assets
then liabilities.

> It is easy, and in fact quite common, for the actual beneficial
> ownership of land to be masked.
Yes, but the list owner can still be held liable for the property. But
technically, the masking is still not providing false information. If the
listed owner of the property decided to screw over the beneficial owner,
they may be able to. The old example of the father transferring, property
to the son to avoid creditors, but the judge will refuse to return the
property from the son back to the father.


>
> For example, near where I live a beach - Martin's Beach - has been
> acquired and even governmental bodies are having trouble finding out who
> the real owner is.

That may be true, but if there is a listed owner, and there a judgment
against listed owner, the property could be taken by lien.