Search results for: “deed theft”
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Will Pennsylvania Criminalize Deed Theft?
Deed fraud, or deed theft, is the improper transfer of property ownership by deceit. In most states, it’s a very rare incident. But when it happens, it’s devastating. State criminal laws do generally deal with theft, forgery, and fraud. And yet, many don’t have a specific law for deed theft. In Pennsylvania, Representatives Christopher…
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Borrowing Against Your Title to Ward Off Deed Theft: A Smart Idea?
Some deed holders deliberately get a lien recorded on their properties to make it harder for anyone to commit deed theft and take their homes. Is there anything to this? First, it’s music to our ears when homeowners ask how to keep their deeds safe and sound. Borrowing against home equity to get a voluntary…
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It’s a Crime! Deed Theft Crackdown Gets Serious
Deed theft deprives homeowners — and generations that follow them — of the precious home equity they worked so hard to earn. When someone sets out to exploit someone else’s deed, the targets are often seniors, minority households, and people who own debt-free homes in gentrifying neighborhoods. In New York, as of 2024, deed theft…
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Deed Theft Should Not Exist
What Does It Take to Safeguard a Title? If you hold the deed, you can’t be evicted, right? True — except if your deed is pulled out from under you by a nasty actor. It shouldn’t happen, but it does. Just ask Dada, a homeowner in Oklahoma City. Someone recorded a quitclaim on Dada’s deed,…
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Deed Theft Crackdown: New York’s on a Roll
New York State Attorney General Letitia James is championing a cause near and dear to our hearts: safe and secure deeds. On the last day of July 2023, the A.G. announced an indictment of a Long Island resident for deed theft. Joseph Makhani faces two counts of criminal possession of stolen property and one count…
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“Deed Theft” Is a Crime, Says New York Legislature
On June 24, 2023, New York’s lawmakers passed a bill to create the crime of deed theft and help New Yorkers hold onto their homes. The state’s Attorney General, Letitia James, has been vocal about the need for new legislation to help keep New Yorkers in their homes. State Sen. Brian Kavanagh and Assembly member…
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In Long Island, New York: A Spectacular Case of Alleged Deed Theft
Nassau County, New York is known as America’s first suburban county. It’s an area with beautiful real estate, including the lovely Long Island home of Rosemarie Mika. This 78-year-old homeowner is now fighting for that lovely home — in a spectacular case of alleged deed theft. It happened, the records show, on October 11 of…
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Heirs, Protect the Seniors in Your Life From Deed Theft
A 91-year-old Floridian recently sent a payment to his insurer. Then the agent called to say the company wouldn’t be able to renew the homeowner’s policy. The deed had been transferred. The home was now legally owned by another person. Some days later, from his bedroom, this shocked and disoriented senior heard three people come…
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Amid New York City’s Rampant Deed Theft, One Victim Wins
Brooklyn property values are going up. And there are plenty of opportunists looking to steal deeds. In the Bedford-Stuyvesant district of Brooklyn in New York City, Dairus Griffiths just triumphed over those opportunists. In the past decade, Brooklyn has lost many of its Black and Hispanic residents, as gentrification reshapes the district. Serial fraudsters and…
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Bam! Deed Holder in Home Equity Theft Case Gets Help From U.S. Supreme Court
After the Supremes stepped in, Kevin Fair recovered the deed he lost to foreclosure — over a $588 debt. A Nebraskan got a gift during Christmas week: the return of his house deed. Kevin and his late spouse Terry Fair lived in one home for 25 years. It was paid off. The Fairs had always…
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Arkansas Act 752 of 2025: New Identity Verification Requirements for Deed Recording
Arkansas will implement significant new security measures for deed recording with the passage of Act 752 of 2025, which takes effect on August 5, 2025. This landmark legislation introduces mandatory identity verification requirements for grantors presenting deeds for recording in person or by mail, marking a substantial shift in the state’s approach to combating real…
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Quitclaim Deed Fraud Spikes, Prompting Boston FBI Action and a New Law in Maine
In the real estate world, people continue to talk about an alert published by the Boston Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Its April alert flagged a spike in the improper use of quitclaim deeds. Why the spike? Certainly more boomers are leaving their homes, making theft easier to carry out. And perhaps more…
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Say It Ain’t So: A Pennsylvania Notary, Stealing Deeds?
The point of having a deed notarized is to ensure its legitimacy. Or so most people would think. A notary public is appointed by the state to witness the signing of legally significant papers, including deeds used to transfer home properties. Honesty and integrity are key traits for anyone performing this role. But recently,…
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We’re Inheriting a Deed Together (And My Co-Owner Has No Job)
Meet Terry, a new deed holder. Terry received the home from his mother. “My mother recently passed away,” as he tells the story. “I inherited the deed, with my sister. My mother was supporting her, but that’s come to an end.” His sister is already living in what used to be their late mother’s home.…
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Ghoulish: Who Steals Deeds From the Dead?
In Houston, stealing deeds from dead people is a thing. Investigators are looking into a deed fraud scheme carried out by three people. These people allegedly laundered deeds of dead homeowners through their limited liability companies. Then they sold the homes to unsuspecting buyers. They’ve pulled in hundreds of thousands of dollars. “This is no…
