Title insurance policies often do not offer protection against future fraud. What Is Title Insurance And What Does It Cover?

Real-Life Cases Of Title Fraud And Its Financial Consequences For Homeowners.
Title fraud occurs when a fraudster illegally transfers the title of a property into their name. This is essentially stealing the homeowner’s identity in the world of real estate. This fraudulent act allows the criminal to mortgage or sell the property without the rightful owner’s knowledge.

50-year-old man accused of using forged deeds and notary stamps to steal six properties in the city’s booming Point Breeze neighborhood. The man allegedly submitted bogus deeds, which bore the forged signatures of the owners and a notary who supposedly witnessed the transaction.

Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation to protect New Yorkers from deed theft, a practice in which property owners are defrauded out of the property titles to their homes. Legislation S.6577/A.6656 enhances deed theft protections by empowering the Attorney General and local District Attorneys investigating or litigating deed theft to pause related eviction and ownership dispute proceedings and expanding the list of crimes that allow prosecutors to invalidate fraudulent sale and loan documents, among other measures.

CLEVELAND — A Cuyahoga County Grand Jury has indicted three men accused of using forged documents to steal and then attempt to sell houses across Cleveland and Garfield Heights.
Police investigating more than a dozen similar cases.
Investigators say the group forged signatures on quit claim deeds and then filed them with the county recorder's office to make it appear as though they owned the properties. Police say the group then listed the properties on the internet in hopes of finding buyers. According to court records, at least four homes were fraudulently transferred in the scheme.

LOS ANGELES — Three homeowners in Los Angeles County are warning against deed fraud after they claim a man filed fraudulent deeds on their properties, claiming they all belonged to him.
Real estate attorney Tiffany Krog offers several tips to avoid falling victim to this type of real estate fraud, which she said could go unnoticed by homeowners if they do not periodically check their property records.
“You should check your title from time to time because when they record these fraudulent deeds, you will not get a copy. They have the copies, the recorded copies, sent to their own address,” she said.

Debi Gotlieb knew something was wrong. “I told the police, ‘I don’t know what happened, but it’s cleaned out, and it’s not in my name.’ And he said, ‘Stay out of the house. It’s not your house,’” said Gotlieb.
“When Debi came to me, the immediate response was how are we going to get this woman’s house back?” said David Degnan, the lawyer Gotlieb hired. Degnan said at that point, time was of the essence because if the house were sold again, it would become more difficult to get it back.
What Gotlieb did not know at the time was that she had fallen victim to a growing crime called “Deed Fraud.” A simple Google search shows examples of deed fraud taking place all over the country.
“There are so many different stories of how deed fraud occurs,” said Jesi Wolnik, a real estate attorney who studies and works on deed fraud cases. Wolnik says one study from a title company estimated that 90 percent of deed fraud is carried out by family members or friends of the victim. The remaining 10 percent of cases involve criminals who target the victims.

Deed-theft cases are popping up across the country. There are two typical variations:
In the first type, thieves forge a deed that transfers ownership of a property to them. They file the deed with a county clerk, who records the sale. Then the property is quickly sold to an unsuspecting purchaser.
In the second type, crooks deceive a homeowner, convincing them to sign a deed to transfer ownership, often by promising help refinancing a mortgage or paying overdue property taxes.

Being the proud owner of a house comes with a range of benefits but also specific risks – one of which is title theft. Title theft occurs when someone fraudulently takes legal and financial ownership of your home without you knowing. With technology advancing and cyber thieves becoming more sophisticated, it has never been more important to be aware of what you can do if your house’s title is stolen. In this Home Title Lock Review, we’ll explore the topic in-depth, from identifying potential warning signs to outlining key steps to take to protect yourself – after all, nobody wants to go through the process of tracking down and recovering their stolen title!

According to estimates from Statista’s Market Insights, the global cost of cybercrime is expected to surge in the next four years, rising from $9.22 trillion in 2024 to $13.82 trillion by 2028. Cybercrime is defined by Cyber Crime Magazine as the “damage and destruction of data, stolen money, lost productivity, theft of intellectual property, theft of personal and financial data, embezzlement, fraud, post-attack disruption to the normal course of business, forensic investigation, restoration and deletion of hacked data and systems, and reputational harm.”
As more and more people turn online, whether for work or their personal lives, there are more potential opportunities for cyber criminals to exploit. At the same time, attacker techniques are becoming more advanced, with more tools available to help scammers.

Deed Fraud: A Silent Killer in Real Estate Investments. Deed Fraud refers to the illegal transfer of property ownership from the actual owner to the fraudster to exploit it for their benefit

Kenigsberg and the LLC building the house on the formerly vacant property said they were both victims of title fraud. Add to the list William Gordon, who said the Tucson, Arizona land he planned to build his retirement home on was sold without his knowledge.

Homeowner Eric Clark faces eviction over fraudulent mortgage.
“Clark is not alone. They are creating documents that do not exist - in the form of a foreclosure deed or power of the deed - with the process, without any proof” said fair housing advocate John Fisher.
The process Fisher described illustrates how easy it is to file paperwork with county clerks.

Jon Richard Rattray of Gilbert has been indicted for fraud, money laundering, identity theft and forgery. He's suspected of taking out multiple mortgages on metro Phoenix homes to tap their equity and then filing documents to hide the loans.
The fraud scheme costs the victims - homebuyers and lenders – more than $6.3 million, according to the Arizona Attorney General's Office. A state grand jury indicted Rattray on the charges.

Real estate transactions involve a great deal of confidential data—private information about both the buyer and seller and details surrounding the purchase. That’s why practicing good cyber security is essential when handling real estate deals to protect yourself against stolen identities and other potential problems.

These simple precautions will ensure your transaction goes smoothly and your private information stays safe:
1. Always Double-Check To Make Sure All Documents Are Legitimate And Accurate
2. Keep All Personal Information Private, Including Passwords And Social Security Numbers
3. Research Potential Buyers Online Before Signing Any Contracts
4. Don’t Give Out Your Contact Information On Public Websites Or Forums
5. Use An Escrow Service Or Lawyer For Larger Transactions To Ensure Safety
And don’t forget to research potential buyers/sellers online and stay informed about any possible scams.

Owning a domestic is considered considered one of many humans’s most great lifestyles accomplishments. Not best does it signify the start of a new bankruptcy, however it also represents a vast investment. Unfortunately, house owners have to fear approximately more than simply routine upkeep or marketplace fluctuations. They also are prone to becoming victims of deed fraud. Deed fraud is a growing hassle within the actual estate enterprise, causing a domino impact on real estate costs and values. In this weblog, we can delve into what deed fraud is, the factors contributing to its rise, and the domino effect it has on real property prices.

Since previous recessions, much of the financial world has been digitised. But digitisation brings challenges in controlling financial fraud. This means that financial institutions (FIs) and other organisations must now ask: will this new global recession mean more financial fraud, and if so, how can that fraud be prevented?

It is useful to think of recession as a factor within the “Fraud Triangle” framework devised by service firm MNP to help us understand what leads people to commit fraud. The three sides of that triangle are:
1. Opportunity, e.g., gaps in internal control systems
2. Motivation, e.g., financial hardship
3. Rationalisation, e.g., increased economic uncertainty

These three planets have aligned as recession gains hold of the world’s economies. The historical precedent of increased fraud during a recession is the evidence: a survey from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) on the impact of the 2009 economic recession found that 55.4% of respondents saw a slight or significant increase in the level of fraud during that recession period. Over 49% of respondents said this increased fraud was due to financial pressures on individuals.

In recent years, numerous developments and trends in fraud cases have highlighted the complex and ever-changing nature of financial crime. From the rise of cryptocurrency scams to the growing use of AI technology in fraud detection, the landscape of financial fraud is constantly evolving. In this article, Home Title Lock Review, we will explore the most significant developments and trends in fraud cases that have emerged recently.

Real estate is the largest asset class in the world. Commercial enterprises and real estate professionals are recognizing the transformative impact of blockchain technology to optimize retail and commercial property sales, streamline payments, and increase access to real estate funds and investment opportunities.

Real estate fraud is growing; many homeowners feel that title insurance solves their worries. However, title insurance policies often do not offer protection against future fraud. This Home Title Lock Review will explore the limitations of title insurance and how homeowners can protect their properties from real estate fraud.

A Phoenix man has plead guilty to fraud and money laundering in a real estate scam that involved claiming title to Valley residents' homes.
Daniel Barraza Nevarez filed quitclaim deeds illegally transferring ownership in Paradise Valley, Scottsdale and Phoenix homes between November 2017 and February 2018, according to the Arizona Attorney General's Office.
He then used the homes to try to take out home equity loans.
Nevarez illegally transferred almost $3.5 million in property deeds.
The plea deal requires Nevarez to pay $21,708 in restitution for legal fees for the victims. He will also serve at least eight months in a Maricopa County jail.

A felon who stuck more than a thousand homeowners in Arizona and California with bogus liens as part of a credit-collection scam has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
McCoon, 47, orchestrated a financial scheme to force homeowners to pay debts that in many cases they didn't owe by filing liens against their homes.
An investigation by The Arizona Republic showed that McCoon, through Pacific States Credit Co., filed more than 600 such liens in Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties, as well as hundreds more in California.

In the realm of crime, home title theft is like a chameleon. It's identity fraud in disguise with forged property deeds and stolen identities. Add a dishonest notary to the mix, and voilà - the deed's been done, and you're no longer the rightful owner.
It's a heinous crime that's got folks on edge, especially seniors and people with vacation homes. The data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center recorded a hair-raising 11,727 real estate and rental fraud victims in 2022, with losses of $350 million.
Learn how to stop this silent criminal attack to your home and money.

PHOENIX – Arizona is seeing a rise in deed fraud schemes in which entire homes are sold out from under the rightful owners.
The state Attorney General’s Office said it has received dozens of complaints about properties being sold without the owners’ knowledge by unknown scammers who filed forged warranty deeds with the county recorder’s office.
The process for regaining ownership can be long and costly.

A suspended attorney from New Jersey who posed as a licensed real estate agent in the Poconos admitted he stole more than $280,000 by selling at least six properties without the owners’ permission.

When buying a home, protecting yourself against fraud is vital. Unfortunately, real estate scams are becoming increasingly common on popular real estate listing websites. To keep yourself and your property safe, this Home Title Lock review explains how to protect yourself against fraud when using popular real estate websites.

With the increase in online transactions, fraud seems to rise. Unfortunately, real estate is not immune and can become a target for fraudulent activity or scams. Protecting yourself from these criminal activities should be one of your top priorities when considering any real estate transaction, such as buying, selling, or investing in a property.

From alleged one-man bandits like Dorsey to organized crime rings, the title fraud racket is booming in South Florida, a fertile ground for scams involving real estate assets of the deceased. Gary Singer, a Fort Lauderdale real estate attorney who owns a title company, said he encounters some type of title-related fraud multiple times a month.

Are you constantly worried about the safety of your home and family? With all the risks from burglars, events such as fires or natural disasters, and other unexpected threats lurking in our everyday lives, it’s prudent to stay ahead of the game and arm yourself with modern security solutions. In this post, experts at Home Title Lock will explore ways to ensure your home is protected at its best with WIFI-enabled devices, insurance products, AND home title protection. Take a few moments to learn how to safeguard your property in today’s world — where safety precautions are more essential than ever!

According to documents filed with the court and statements made in court during the plea, Oreste, president of KMC Mortgage Corporation of Florida, a mortgage lending business in North Miami Beach, along with co-defendants, Okechukwu Josiah Odunna, a/k/a “O.J. Odunna,” Marie Lucie Tondreau, a/k/a “Lucie Tondreau”, and Kelly Augustin, operated a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, between December 2005 and May 2008. Oreste and Tondreau hosted several radio show programs in the South Florida area which catered to the South Florida Haitian community. During these programs they advertised the services offered by KMC Mortgage. Oreste and Tondreau recruited and paid some of the listeners who responded to those advertisements, as well as other individuals, to pose as borrowers to purchase properties identified by Oreste. Augustin, an employee of KMC Mortgage, also recruited straw borrowers.
Over the course of the conspiracy, the defendants fraudulently obtained loans on approximately 20 properties, for which the lenders have suffered losses in the amount of approximately $11,000,000.00.

Home title theft has been rising in many US cities.
Home title theft is known by many names including deed theft, house stealing, house deed theft, and more.
It is a type of theft, closely related to identity theft, where a thief puts your home deed in someone else’s name.
Many deeds and home titles are publicly accessible online, usually via a registry. This provides scammers and thieves with the opportunity to download and/or forge your home’s title documents. Unfortunately, a convincing forgery is easy to pass off as legitimate when it comes to property titles. The thief will then either sell the deed to your property in a real estate scam or use it to claim any equity you have invested in your home.

There’s a lot of pressure that comes with buying a home. And in a competitive real estate market, there’s always the temptation to act quickly when you find that perfect home. Unfortunately, scam artists will often take advantage of this and either trick potential home buyers into paying for properties that don’t exist or misrepresent the terms of the deal.
Fortunately, there are ways you can avoid falling victim to a real estate scam. By learning the warning signs and some of the most common real estate scams, you’ll be better prepared to protect yourself.

A man hired to help care for his elderly diabetic neighbor has been indicted for allegedly stealing and trying to sell the senior citizen's East New York home.

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the indictment of five members of a deed theft ring for allegedly stealing three homes worth more than $1 million in total from elderly, vulnerable homeowners in the Queens neighborhoods of Jamaica and St. Albans. The defendants impersonated the real homeowners of these properties by using forged drivers’ licenses and social security cards. They then used that forged information at contract signings and closings on the properties and forged the real owners’ signatures on deeds and real estate contracts.

“No one should face the nightmare of having their home stolen from them without any warning, knowledge, or reason,” said Attorney General James. “Deed theft is a merciless crime that targets seniors, and often people of color, who are asset rich but cash poor, and reliant on their homes as a stabilizing force for their families and loved ones. My office will continue our work to combat deed theft until we can ensure no other New Yorker is forced to endure this heartbreaking, life-altering loss.”

Memphis, TN – A federal judge recently issued a sentence of more than ten years imprisonment in the case of a Shelby County man who had pled guilty to firearms, identity theft, and mail fraud charges. Jeffery L. Ware, 40, of Memphis pled guilty in January to a four-count complaint of mail fraud, identity theft, aggravated identity theft, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Ware to 121 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release following his prison term. Judge Lipman also ordered Ware to pay $376,191.78 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system.

Thieves and forgers are taking houses from the deceased in ‘hot’ neighborhoods — as the city stands by.
They are all dead. Yet if city records are to be believed, they all walked into the office of a notary public and signed away their homes, which just happened to be in gentrifying neighborhoods with soaring property values.

What do you know about title fraud? Unfortunately, it is becoming more common as technology grows and evolves in real estate. Title fraud can be damaging and expensive for anyone involved in a real estate transaction when it isn’t caught early enough. Educating yourself on how title fraud works and utilizing new technologies can significantly reduce your chances of being affected by this criminal activity.

A Long Island man is heading to prison after stealing a vacant brownstone worth more than a million dollars from an elderly former school teacher, authorities announced.
Mount Sinai resident Craig Hecht, 52, was sentenced this week to a term of one-and-a-half to four-and-a-half years in prison for a deed fraud scheme targeting an 80-year-old Bedford-Stuyvesant homeowner.

In this day and age, digital literacy is a must-have skill. It involves effectively using technology, from basic computer operations to advanced online security. But did you know digital literacy can also be a potent defense against title fraud?

A new type of fraud has been on the rise – title fraud. It might not be as well-known as other scams, but it’s sneaky and damaging. We must emphasize digital literacy’s importance to protect ourselves from title fraud.

Title fraud is a rising problem in the real estate industry, causing potential harm to property owners nationwide. This fraudulent practice involves a scammer stealing the title of a property and taking out loans or committing other illegal activities in the owner’s name. The consequences of title fraud can be devastating, from financial damages to possible eviction. As title fraud continues to be a major issue, there is a growing need for technology solutions to track and prevent this crime.

Homeowners facing foreclosure are often desperate to save their homes and financial future. Scammers take advantage of this desperation by making false promises of help when they cannot help at all. In some cases, scammers will ask for upfront fees or payments before any services can be provided. These scams are illegal and should be reported to the appropriate authorities.

It have been numerous reports of real estate fraud involving criminals who are posing as property owners and contacting real estate agents to sell a property that they do not own title to in the county of Saint Luis Obispo, California. The criminals have engaged the real estate professional by impersonating the property owner and are attempting to negotiate the sale of properties which are vacant or lien free.
Properties often include vacant lots or rentals. The crime process consists of the following steps:
The criminal, posing as the property owner, contacts a real estate agent to list the targeted property for sale and requests it being listed below the market value to generate immediate interest. Requests preference for a cash buyer, and quickly accepts an offer.
Refuses to sign closing documents in person and requests a remote notary signing.
Impersonates the notary and provides falsified documents to the title company or closing attorney.
The title company or closing attorney unwittingly transfers closing proceeds to the criminal.
All communication is electronic, not in person.

DA Larry Krasner called the thefts of 17 homes and lots sold for $900,000 “despicable.”
Seven people have been arrested and an eighth person is being sought in connection with a series of elaborate real estate thefts that District Attorney Larry Krasner said cost property owners more than $900,000.
The group forged deeds to steal homes and lots and then sold the properties and pocketed the profits.
“Both lots and homes were targeted from the dead as well as the living, the young and the old. The properties were acquired using forged paperwork, stolen identities, fake names, as well as licenses,” Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Esack said.

Lamar Odom sues ex-manager for allegedly stealing his home, forging docs

Foreclosure rescue scams target homeowners struggling to keep up with their mortgage payments. Fraudsters posing as loan modification or foreclosure rescue companies can easily deceive vulnerable homeowners desperate to save their homes. Foreclosure rescue scams can result in homeowners losing their properties, affecting their financial stability and emotional well-being. Home Title Lock discusses common tactics fraudsters use in foreclosure rescue scams in this article.

A woman found out her property in a South Memphis neighborhood was no longer in her name after someone reportedly forged her signature and took ownership.
Without her knowledge someone went to the Shelby County Register of Deeds office and handed over a quit claim deed, which is a fast way to transfer property.
County Register Shelandra Ford said that per state law if the document meets all the state requirements, then we have no other choice but to file the deed and entry within the office.

Scammers Are Plotting to Sell Vacant Land Fraudulently.
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center warns that losses from real estate and rental scams are steadily increasing, reaching more than $396 million last year. Scammers are plotting elaborate schemes to dupe potential buyers, property owners and real estate professionals.

When Curtis Simmons visited the city records department, he made a shocking discovery.
A Philadelphia records clerk showed Simmons a notarized sales agreement that had already transferred the property deed to a property investor for $150,000. Simmons no longer owned the property.
These types of fraudulent schemes can be easy to carry out because they often target properties that are not currently occupied. Fraudulent transfers of property disproportionately affects low-income communities and those of color, according to advocates. The elderly are also particularly vulnerable.
The city Records Department, which tracks deed transfers, only ensures appropriate paperwork has been turned in and notarized.
Homeowners aren’t the only victims — developers can also fall prey to larger real estate conspiracies.

Investing in rental properties can be an excellent source of income and a long-term investment strategy. A well-managed rental property can provide property owners with a steady income stream, tax advantages, and the potential for appreciation. However, several critical factors must be considered before investing in a rental property. In this Home Title Lock Review, we will explore everything you need to know about investing in rental properties, including the benefits, types of rental properties, and how to achieve success in this industry.

John Whitt Jenkins is thankful to have his Dunedin house back after he discovered someone quietly filed public documents, claiming they bought it from him.
“They forged my signature and they had to fake witnesses on there and a fictitious notary on there saying I sold my house for $160,000, and that was it and the county went with it,” Jenkins said.
It took Jenkins two months to get his house back. According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the same man that stole Jenkins’ house, stole at least five other homes, too.
Title companies report this type of fraud is on the rise.

Warrant issued for man accused of forging owners signatures to sell $15M worth of their River Oaks property. He would sell the property to a fictitious company that he set up and then that company would then sell to him at a very discounted rate. It took a lot of ingenuity to put this kind of fraud together and he had been at it for awhile."
Real estate agents and title companies were fooled, court documents say.

A Cleveland man forged signatures on a quit-claim deed to steal the title of a home from a Beachwood couple who inherited the property from a deceased mother, records say.
Scammers typically commit quick-claim deed frauds in order to sell a home to a third party, or obtain funds via a mortgage loan, according to the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council.

Real estate transactions have always been prime targets for fraudsters, and with the advent of technology, they've only gotten more creative. One of California's most common forms of mortgage fraud is so-called "phantom help" schemes that falsely promise to rescue homeowners facing possible foreclosure.

A man is accused of creating a fake deed and a notary public is accused of signing off on it when the son of a woman in hospice care said her home had been sold without her knowledge or consent.
A quitclaim deed, or deed that relinquishes ownership over property, was filed May 17 for a Memphis home belonging to a woman receiving hospice care, according to an arrest affidavit from the Memphis Police Department. The deed had been filed by a 47-year-old man who was not related to the woman and had been signed by a notary public.

Three people were in custody and more arrests are likely following a sweeping investigation into a $12 million real estate property theft ring in which the suspects allegedly worked together to steal people's homes.
Each of the suspects face multiple charges, including first-degree grand theft and other crimes involving deed fraud, filing fraudulent court filings and identity theft, officials said. It was not immediately clear if bond has been set for the suspects.

A man was convicted by a jury of grand larceny and other charges for stealing a house owned by his 84-year-old next-door neighbor by forging a deed and other documents that transferred ownership of the property to a trust in his name.
The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, the defendant perpetrated a fraud to steal the title to 390 East 49th Street in Brooklyn, a three-family home owned by his next-door neighbor, an 84-year-old woman who lived with a family member in New Jersey.
According to the evidence the defendant created the Winston Gregory Hall Express Trust, of which he was the trustee. One week later, a deed was executed by the victim, the owner of 390 East 49th Street, transferring ownership of the property to the defendant’s trust. Further the deed and related tax documents, also forged, were filed at the New York City Register’s Office. Then the deed was recorded with the New York City Department of Finance, at which time the estimated market value of the property was $445,000.

Woman by being suspicious and seeking qualified lawyer's help, unraveled real estate scam

A home-based business is an increasingly popular alternative for entrepreneurs looking to take control of their future. But one major obstacle is ensuring data security and integrity, especially with the number and complexity of threats growing fast. Organizations should find fastidious ways to shield themselves and their clients from cyberattacks, security breaches, or pernicious movements. This article will investigate the difficulties related to information security in locally established organizations, likely arrangements, and best practices for protecting against these assaults.

Real estate fraud is a serious issue affecting home buyers and sellers. Unfortunately, it has become increasingly common as scammers find more creative ways to exploit unsuspecting individuals. This Home Title Lock review explores real estate fraud, the dangers of title scams, and the importance of being addressed by the Attorney Generals of New York and Arizona.

As the United States continues to navigate economic challenges, mortgage fraud is a critical issue affecting the nation’s stability. Mortgage fraud happens when someone intentionally misrepresents or omits material information during the application process. This fraud affects not just the individual buyer but also the lender and the economy as a whole. Home Title Lock shares how mortgage fraud impacts the U.S. economy.

Deed fraud is becoming increasingly prominent in the U.S., notes TrueNest Property Management company. Land, property, and real estate are targeted to be stolen from unwitting consumers. It’s a sophisticated form of identity theft that requires technical knowledge to execute but can affect almost anyone convinced into believing they are involved with legitimate business dealings. Home Title Lock discusses deed fraud, its growing threat to property owners throughout America, some factors contributing to this rising problem—including why criminals find stealing deeds so appealing—and what owners should do to protect themselves from potential schemes.

Investing in real estate is a proven wealth-creation strategy. Real estate investments can also help you diversify your portfolio and protect it from stock market volatility. Let’s look at the most popular options for investing in real estate, the pros and cons, and how you can get started.

What are my investment options?
Here are the most popular real estate investment methods:

Rental properties.
REITs.
Real estate investment groups.
Flipping houses.
Real estate limited partnerships.
Real estate mutual funds.

Memorial Day weekend got off to a rough start for millions of Americans when security researcher Brian Krebs reported the discovery of more than 885 million sensitive documents exposed online by insurance giant First American Financial. Those files stored on the company's website, firstam.com, contained bank account numbers, bank statements, mortgage records, tax documents, wire transfer receipts Social Security numbers and photos of driver's licenses. All of that information, which dated back to 2003, was available without any sort of protection and could be accessed without so much as a password—as long as a person knew where to look.

Title fraud is a growing concern in the real estate industry. It happens when someone with ill intentions steals your property’s title and tries to make it their own. This can lead to a legal nightmare and financial loss for innocent homeowners. However, there’s good news. Technology is helping prevent title fraud.

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK -- Hundreds of Brooklynites have been the victims of deed theft and potentially illegal evictions that rob them of their homes, according to local politicians who are demanding a federal investigation.
Bed-Stuy councilman Robert Cornegy and Borough President Eric Adams called for a federal investigation into deed theft and fraud.

Woman, who owns a home health-care business, was the victim of a lesser-known crime alternately called house stealing or deed theft that has seen an uptick in some areas in recent years. Scammers gain control of a deed to a home and then attempt to resell the property or to open a line of credit on it.

​Real estate broker pleads guilty to scheme to steal homes through deed fraud

A document had been filed with woman deceased father’s signature forged on property documents to sell the property for cash. And she isn’t the only one; Harris County residents have been plagued by deed fraud for years.
In all 50 states, it is required that the transfer of real property utilize written documents that contain the title of the document, the name of the owner, a clause stating the transfer of ownership, the purchaser’s name, a formal description of the property, the signature of the owner, and a notarized acknowledgement. Because the document goes through so many hands, and because there is no one office or system to take care of the entire document, fraudulent deeds can be created by thieving hands forging identities and notary signatures.

The New Yorker Hotel is locked in a court battle with a man it says is a shameless freeloader who scored a year rent-free under an obscure legal loophole — and then filed a phony deed to commandeer the entire Midtown building.

Now the real owners of the 43-story structure topped with the iconic New Yorker sign are scrambling to get Mickey Barreto’s alleged fraud reversed.

“Real estate fraud is one of the fastest-growing cyber scams across the country,” FBI Special Agent Siobhan Johnson told ABC News in Chicago. In recent years, the FBI reports a 42% increase in the number of real estate crimes as scammers specifically target home sellers and buyers.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the most common home buying scams, their warning signs, and how to make sure the money from your home sale stays in your pocket.

After allegedly stealing nearly two dozen properties in Philadelphia, three foreign nationals appear to have fled the country with their profits, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office says.
Criminals scouted targets in gentrifying neighborhoods and then forged and filed bogus deeds transferring the properties to themselves.
As a check on fraud, signatures on deeds must be verified by notaries. But prosecutors said that the notary signature and stamps were also forged.
In such crimes, thieves typically try to flip the properties as quickly as possible, to cash out before heirs discover their losses. Of the 21 properties, 13 were resold for a total of at least $470,000, city real estate records show.

Real estate transactions have always been prime targets for fraudsters, and with the advent of technology, they've only gotten more creative. One of California's most common forms of mortgage fraud is so-called "phantom help" schemes that falsely promise to rescue homeowners facing possible foreclosure.

Fraudulent home title activities have increased in recent years, with scammers using various tactics to deceive homeowners and steal their property. In 2020 alone, the Federal Trade Commission reported 91,600 real estate or rental fraud-related identity theft cases. The repercussions of these incidents can be devastating, including financial loss, identity theft, and even the displacement of homeowners from their property.
As a homeowner, there are proactive measures that you can take to protect yourself from fraudsters. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into some of the steps you can take to safeguard one of your most critical investments – your home.

Fraud is rampant nowadays, and it’s a growing concern among homeowners. Fraud can range from identity theft to fraudulent transactions, leading to property damage and financial loss. That’s why a robust defense is essential to protect yourself against fraud.
Building a robust defense can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. This post explores the key elements in fraud deterrence and data protection that can help you defend your home against fraud.

“Fraud victim was in a land contract with the homeowner and she fulfilled the land contract and she was waiting for the deed and in the meantime, the homeowner did a quick claim deed with her caregiver so that basically she didn’t own it anymore.”
“If you do a quick claim deed and someone signs their name and it’s attested to by notary, they’re not there to judge your competence. You just put your name on it, go file the deed’s office, it can happen fairly easy.”