How can I find out if someone has forged a power of attorney over me?
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How can I find out if someone has forged a power of attorney over me?
Would I still be able to see a prior one if I file a new one at the county clerks’ office? Would police officers check for a POA and for permission from the agent if I try to file a police report or a complaint?
Asked on July 22, 2015 under Estate Planning, Colorado
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 9 years ago | Contributor
The problem is that powers of attorney do not have to be filed, so there may be none on file; furthermore, as a general rule, people relying on a POA to deal with the attorney-in-fact (the person given authority by the POA) do not need to verify it with any official source, like the county clerk: if it looks valid, they may act in reliance on it. So there is not necessarily any more way to check that a POA has been forged for you than there is to check whether a contract was forged with your signature.
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