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At the recent Client Identity and Fraud Seminars held in Perth and Bunbury, Officers from the Major Fraud Squad provided examples of how identity theft can occur. Using stolen information the "conmen" can use this information to create documents that even the experts have difficulty identifying as fake.

This prompted the question from members - "If the experts can't tell the difference between a genuine and a fake document, then how are we supposed to?"

The answer to this question is - you don't have to identify the fake documents - what you do need to do is exercise due skill and diligence.

Torrens Club member Wayne Reynolds outlines the meaning of due skill and diligence in the following manner:

If a Compliance Officer were to walk through the front door of your office and ask to see your files, are you confident that you can demonstrate that you have taken sufficient steps to:

• identify your client, and
• carefully examine the correspondence you have received to look for inconsistencies, such as changed email or postal addresses, or the client's lack of knowledge of details that they should be aware of

If you can demonstrate to the Compliance Officer that you have exercised due skill and care then you have performed your role in accordance with the Settlement Agents' Code of Conduct.

The Certified Practising Conveyancer programme is a national scheme administered by the Australian Institute of Conveyancers in each State to promote education, the highest standards, the highest ethics and the Conveyancing profession.

The Rules for a Certified Practising Conveyancer in WA are summarised here:

• A Licensee must attain 100 CPC Points in the calendar year preceding application
• Every Licensee must maintain 100 points per annum to retain accreditation
• Every applicant must promote the highest standards and ethical values as set by the CPC programme to be accepted as a CPC
• The Governing Committee can ask for an Audit of the business premises, image and advertising of an applicant or CPC to ensure that the standards are maintained

Being a CPC is more than Conveyancing knowledge, it is the desire to be recognised as the elite and promote the highest standards in the profession, to promote best practice for the Conveyancing profession and to respect the work, knowledge and ethics of the entire Conveyancing profession. CPC gives assurance to any Buyer or Seller of property throughout Australia that the highest standards, knowledge and service will be afforded to them.