{"id":1136,"date":"2020-12-16T06:00:43","date_gmt":"2020-12-16T11:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/?p=1136"},"modified":"2024-04-25T23:20:27","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T03:20:27","slug":"can-hackers-take-the-title-to-your-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/can-hackers-take-the-title-to-your-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Hackers Take the Title to Your Home?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Know the Signs. Prevent Identity Fraud.<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Imager<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The title\nto your home<\/a> is a precious document. It proves that you own your\nhome and that you may borrow money against your home equity. Can internet\nhackers take it from you? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cybercriminals are highly sophisticated. In 2020, they were able to hack into top cybersecurity firms<\/a> that do business with the U.S. government. Three years earlier, hackers got into a credit reporting company\u2019s database. The Equifax breach<\/a> exposed personal details of about 143 million people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Assume that your social security number, birth date and other\nkey identification numbers may have been exposed at some time. And if you\u2019ve had\nthe deed to your home recorded, your signature is in a database, too. But while\nwe all could be vulnerable, knowledge is power. Here\u2019s what to know about how title\nsnatchers work, and how to safeguard your identity and your homeownership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How Title Theft Works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If everyone has some form of online profile, everyone is at some\nrisk of their personal data falling into the wrong hands, leading to identity\ntheft and fraud. There are also the \u201cphishing\u201d text and email messages that target\npeople individually, looking for Social Security numbers, passwords, and\naccount numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once they have signatures and IDs, swindlers can replicate\nthem and file fraudulent paperwork with the register of deeds, to transfer titles\nover to themselves or another person. In most places, by law, anybody can walk\ninto the office of the county recorder with a completed and notarized deed, and\nthe office must record the instrument without questioning the legitimacy of the\nfiler or the signature. And once title fraud is discovered, the rightful\nhomeowners bear the burden to prove, for example, that a notary\u2019s signature on\na quitclaim\ndeed<\/a> is a forgery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A common move by a house title thief<\/a> is to take out a home equity line of credit on the home. The criminal will do whatever it takes to extract money from the home before the crime is discovered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The innocent homeowner might have no idea anything happened\nuntil a surprise letter from a lender demands a payoff and threatens potential foreclosure.\nOr perhaps a title company will discover the issue because someone is\nattempting to sell the house. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the targets are older people. Seniors tend to have the\nmost home equity, and some have not developed the habit of visiting the credit\nbureaus\u2019 websites to check their credit profiles. People who do not live in\ntheir homes, or who own multiple properties, are also more easily defrauded,\nbecause they miss significant notices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Restoring a homeowner\u2019s title by way of a quiet title action<\/a> can take months of legal work and cost tens of thousands of dollars. So, what\u2019s the best way to protect your home title from fraud? Nothing substitutes for mindfulness: reviewing your\u00a0credit report<\/a>\u00a0at least annually, regularly checking your bills, staying off public wi-fi, including hotel internet connections<\/a>. You could get an identity and home title \u201clock\u201d service, but be aware that identity theft services usually notify you after the hack has happened. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet you can take steps to protect yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prevent Identity Fraud and Guard Your Home Title <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a good practice to look in on your title now and then through\nthe local register of deeds\u2019 website. Red flags include unfamiliar deeds,\nloans, or court actions. The faster you respond to stop the damage if an actual\nissue has occurred, the better.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What should your response be, though, and to whom? Inform\nthe register of deeds and your township police. Request a certified copy of whatever\ndocument was wrongly recorded, and bring it to an attorney who deals with\ncriminal cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being vigilant about your identity is important for a host\nof reasons beyond title fraud, of course. This checklist of best practices can\nkeep your identifying information \u2014 and possibly your home equity \u2014 out of digital\ncriminals\u2019 hands: <\/p>\n\n\n\n