Deed Theft Is Rising, Along With Property Values

AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTyour money adviserDeed Theft Is Going Up as Rising Values Make Homes a Lucrative TargetThe victims are often older people or immigrants, with thieves going after vacant land or unoccupied homes. But there are ways to protect yourself.Credit...Till LauerNov. 13, 2026, 9:00 a.m. ETA dying woman with dementia. A doctor from Long Island. A couple renovating a home in Florida.The three fell victim to a type of real estate fraud known as deed, or title, theft, in which someone forges documents or fakes an identity to take ownership of a home or vacant land. Criminals may impersonate the true owners and sell the property to unsuspecting buyers, or use it as collateral to obtain loans.The rise in home property values, and, therefore, home equity, have made deed theft potentially lucrative, experts say. Homes owned by older people, homes that show signs of financial distress, and vacant homes or land may be especially vulnerable.It’s not clear how common deed theft is nationally but awareness of the fraud is mounting, especially in the Northeast. Earlier this month, a Queens man became the first person convicted under a New York deed theft law passed in 2024. And New York City has created a special office of deed theft prevention to detect and investigate such fraud.Reports of real estate crime in general rose by 32 percent in 2025, to more than 12,000 complaints, and associated financial losses rose to more than $275 million, according to the F.B.I.’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. The F.B.I. estimates it received 66 complaints about deed or title theft in 2025, representing $5.9 million in losses, compared with 75 complaints representing losses of almost $7 million from January through October of this year.The National Association of Realtors surveyed real-estate executives nationally in 2025 and found that nearly two-thirds reported being aware of this type of fraud in their area within the past year, with awareness highest — 95 percent — in the Northeast.But the fraud isn’t confined to one region. “It happens everywhere,” said Craig Haskins, president of the American Land Title Association, a trade group for title insurers and agents and real-estate closing professionals. The group’s survey this year of 245 title professionals in 40 states found that nearly three out of five had experienced at least one incident of attempted “seller impersonation” fraud, up from about a quarter two years earlier.Here’s what to know about deed theft and related fraud.How does deed theft work?In a common scenario, thieves file a deed on a home or property to transfer ownership to themselves, often by forging the true owner’s signature or duping the owner into signing it.In the recent case in Queens, a man pleaded guilty to stealing the home of an older woman with dementia in 2024 by forging her signature on a deed giving ownership of the home where she had lived for 40 years, and where she was receiving home care, to himself and an accomplice. The fake signature was also notarized with a forged signature. They next forged her signature on another deed transferring the home to his business, which he used to take out a $552,500 mortgage. He then paid off the owner’s mortgage and other liens, allowing him to steal the balance of more than $300,000 for his “personal benefit,” according to prosecutors.The theft was discovered by the owner’s son and daughter-in-law when they opened suspicious mail at her home. As a result of the plea agreement, the home will be returned to the family of the woman, who died in 2025, according to the New York State attorney general’s office. (The accomplice’s trial is scheduled for early next year.)What type of properties are most at risk?That can vary. In New York City, complaints have been concentrated in Brooklyn and Queens, where criminals often target seniors and immigrants, and homes in historically Black neighborhoods. Deirdre Lok, director and managing attorney at the Weinberg Center for Elder Justice in Riverdale, N.Y., said someone who bought a brownstone in the 1970s or ’80s may not realize they own an asset now worth millions. (Clips from The New York Times show such homes could be purchased for $25,000 or $35,000, and sometimes even less.)The situation can be complicated by “tangled title” properties, in which a home is passed down to heirs informally, with multiple people having ownership, or lacking clear documentation of ownership. That can make it difficult for owners to borrow against the home, and may make them more vulnerable to lowball offers from scammers, according to a study by New York University’s Furman Center.In other areas, vacant land or unoccupied homes can be attractive to criminals because owners aren’t nearby to notice any changes or suspicious activity.“Older people are more likely to own their own home and to have paid it off, and they are more likely to have a second home,” which may not be occupied year round, said Françoise Cleveland, government relations adviser with AARP.Dreama Bilby, 77, and her husband, Larry, 79, said in an interview that they had moved out of their house in Tampa, Fla., years ago after a large tree fell on it. They relocated to an apartment, intending to eventually rebuild. But the Bilbys became worried when security cameras installed near the house spotted a man and woman they didn’t recognize stopping by the property. Their concern turned to alarm when the woman identified herself to a neighbor as the home’s new occupant. It turned out thieves had filed a fraudulent deed in February 2024, transferring ownership from the Bilbys. The thieves eventually pleaded guilty to criminal charges, according to the state attorney’s office in Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa.“That was such a traumatic experience,” Ms. Bilby said in an interview. “It really did a number on me.”In another vacant property case, a Long Island doctor was surprised when a neighbor reported in 2023 that a large home was being built on a wooded lot the doctor owned in Fairfield, Conn. It turned out that someone had used a forged power of attorney and fake documents in 2022 to fraudulently sell the land for $350,000 to an unsuspecting developer. A lawsuit filed in the case was settled in 2024.How can I protect my property?Many counties or local governments now offer free services that automatically notify property owners if any documents are filed related to their property. (The Bilbys said they were able to halt the transfer of the deed on their home before it became final, because they had signed up for alerts.)If your county doesn’t offer electronic deed alerts, you can periodically check your property records. Most areas now offer online search tools.If you are buying a home, consider purchasing owners’ title insurance, Mr. Haskins said. Lender title insurance protects the mortgage lender on a home purchase against any undiscovered liens on the property or gaps in the chain of ownership. Banks typically require it if you are financing the purchase of a home. But buyers can also ask about paying for optional coverage, either as an add-on or with a separate policy that protects them, including against fraud.Be certain to specify what type of coverage you are seeking. Some policies provide protection only for fraud that occurred before the closing. Others can protect for fraud that occurs after you become the owner. Availability may vary by state.Typically, owner premiums are charged as a one-time payment, based on a percentage of the home’s purchase price. Costs vary by state and by the home’s selling price. For example, Mr. Haskins said, an owner’s policy in Wisconsin on a home priced at $338,200, the state median, would be about $1,439, or 0.43 percent of the purchase price. In Florida, the cost for a home at the state median price of about $416,800 would be about $1,610, or about 0.39 percent.Be cautious about commercial services that promise to “lock” the title to your property for a fee. The Federal Trade Commission has warned that “title lock” services are not insurance and essentially charge for alerts that government services offer free.Other tips: Pay close attention to your mail and email. If you stop receiving regular tax and utility bills or get bills that seem odd — say, a high water bill from a vacant property — check and make sure nothing is amiss.If you own property you can’t visit regularly, consider having a friendly neighbor check on it for you.Related ContentAdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENT