48.29.200 - Prohibited practices. - Washington Statutes

Prohibited practices.

It is a violation of this chapter for any title insurance company and title insurance agent in the conduct of the business of an escrow agent as defined in RCW 18.44.011 and exempt from licensing under RCW 18.44.021(6) to:

     (1) Directly or indirectly employ any scheme, device, or artifice to defraud or mislead borrowers or lenders or to defraud any person;

     (2) Directly or indirectly engage in any unfair or deceptive act or practice toward any person;

     (3) Directly or indirectly obtain property by fraud or misrepresentation;

     (4) Knowingly make, publish, or disseminate any false, deceptive, or misleading information in the conduct of the business of escrow, or relative to the business of escrow or relative to any person engaged therein;

     (5) Knowingly receive or take possession for personal use of any property of any escrow business, other than in payment authorized by this chapter, and with intent to defraud, omit to make, or cause or direct to be made, a full and true entry thereof in the books and accounts of the title insurance company or title insurance agent;

     (6) Make or concur in making any false entry, or omit or concur in omitting to make any material entry, in its books or accounts;

     (7) Knowingly make or publish, or concur in making or publishing any written report, exhibit, or statement of its affairs or pecuniary condition containing any material statement which is false, or omit or concur in omitting any statement required by law to be contained therein;

     (8) Willfully fail to make any proper entry in the books of the escrow business as required by law;

     (9) Fail to disclose in a timely manner to the other officers, directors, controlling persons, or employees the receipt of service of a notice of an application for an injunction or other legal process affecting the property or business of a title insurance company or title insurance agent conducting an escrow business, including an order to cease and desist or other order of the insurance commissioner; or

     (10) Fail to make any report or statement lawfully required by the insurance commissioner or other public official.

[1999 c 30 § 35.]