Tag: Title Fraud
-
Title Thieves Are Robbing the Dickens Out of Homeowners
Richard Helbig is a 75-year-old retired home renovator. Now, Helbig is back to work—as a dishwasher. What happened? He lived in his four-bedroom home in North Carolina for 16 years. He redid the kitchen and bathrooms. He paid off the home loan and accumulated $200K+ in equity. But a couple of title pirates took it…
-
Operation Hard Money: How a Team of Mortgage Scammers Exploited Los Angeles Seniors Through Title Fraud
The FBI recently arrested 11 people in Los Angeles. The investigation involved people who went after more than $17 million in deed theft, say prosecutors. To get that money, they repeatedly attempted financial fraud. The swindlers allegedly took over the titles to their victims’ homes so they could exploit them for loan collateral. Older adults…
-
Next? Rhode Island Is Now Proposing a Law to Stop Impersonators From Recording Deeds
A new law has been introduced in Rhode Island. If enacted, it will require anyone recording a deed to show government-issued photo ID. County officials would gain the authority to delay recording, or report a suspicious document to law enforcement. The point? To deter would-be fraudsters attempting to take over people’s properties. Deed theft typically…
-
Texas Says Time’s Up for Deed Hustlers
A wave of real estate scams has prompted action by Texas lawmakers. Real estate theft and fraud are now in the criminal code. Naming deed crimes is part of a growing trend that you might recall from a series of articles we’ve offered on New York’s new law, naming “deed theft” as a crime category.…
-
End Deed Fraud! Florida Tests ID Rule, California Requires Alerts
Real estate prices keep rising. A home title is increasingly valuable. For people who specialize in deed fraud, deed records might as well be pots of gold. These smooth operators are on the lookout for properties they can control, sell, or use to obtain loan or rent money. What happened to the days when a…
-
Sell a Home You Don’t Own? Here’s How They Do It in Scottsdale
Here’s a true story about seller impersonation that landed in the news during the first week of 2026. The story starts with an owner of a home in Arizona getting an alert from the local deed recorder’s office of Maricopa County. Uh oh. The recorder’s office was notifying the deed holder that the title to…
-
The Sting: Arizona Real Estate Agent Calls the Cops, Derails Deed Fraud
A fast-acting real estate pro helped nab the suspected perpetrator of a deed theft against a senior. John Rowan, a Scottsdale real estate agent and investor, got a call from a stranger whose friend reportedly inherited a home and wanted to sell it as-is. Rowan went to check out the Phoenix-area home. A landscaper present…
-
AG James Nails First Criminal Conviction Under NY Home Equity Theft Protection Act
Recently, a New York real estate agent pleaded guilty in a deed theft case. Yes, a real estate agent. Oscar Dais used to be a real estate agent in Rockland County, New York. But no more. Oscar Dais admitted to a property theft that involved falsely signing a deed to his own company, while pretending…
-
Get Up to Speed: Updated Guide to AI Fraud in Real Estate Deals
With home values as high as they are now, it’s no wonder swindlers target people involved in deed transactions and mortgages. High-stakes scammers tend to be smooth operators. Smoother than ever, with artificial intelligence (AI). So it’s good to know the warning signs, and investigate concerns when in doubt. Read on for a quick view…
-
“Locking” Your Home Title? Read This First.
You might have seen ads urging you to get services that “lock” your title against deed theft. First, is deed theft really a thing? Next, if it is, do “title lock” companies really prevent it? Yes, and no. Let’s break this down, Q&A-style. Then, we’ll offer some important but simple tips to keep tabs on…
-
Leaving Your Home for a While? An Arizona Trucker Has a Cautionary Tale
“This is home. It will always be home,” D’Andrea Turner told ABC’s Channel 15. “I raised my babies here.” D’Andrea’s ex, Keith Turner, is a trucker who went out on the road for long stretches at a time. This left the home unattended, as the pair had separated. This year, the two parents learned their…
-
“We Buy Ugly Houses” (And Other Ponzi Schemes)
We’ve all stumbled into bad deals at some point — but maybe not as painfully as Ronald. In 2017, a retired Texan named Ronald took some very questionable advice. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Ronald invested with a certain Charles Carrier, who owned (what appeared to be) a hugely successful franchise…
-
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…
-
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,…
-
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…
