{"id":6860,"date":"2025-09-29T07:52:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T11:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/?p=6860"},"modified":"2025-09-29T07:52:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T11:52:10","slug":"pennsylvania-gets-ready-to-pass-deed-fraud-law-and-philly-says-no-more-deed-theft-from-the-dead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/pennsylvania-gets-ready-to-pass-deed-fraud-law-and-philly-says-no-more-deed-theft-from-the-dead\/","title":{"rendered":"Pennsylvania Gets Ready to Pass Deed Fraud Law\u2014And Philly Says No More Deed Theft From the Dead"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Deed theft is the deliberate and wrongful transfer of real estate. It\u2019s not particularly common across the country. But in areas where property values have shot up, it\u2019s a growing trend. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is one area of concern. Last year, Philly tallied up 110 reports of deed fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We promised to keep you posted on Pennsylvania\u2019s efforts to deal with the matter by outlawing deed theft<\/a>. Here\u2019s the latest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Revamped Anti-Fraud Bill Wins Unanimous Support<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rep. Christopher M. Rabb, a Philadelphia Democrat, joined by Rep. Tim Bonner, a Republican from Butler (35 miles north of Pittsburgh), have gutted and rewritten a bill to outlaw deed fraud as a specific crime. Here\u2019s a three-minute video<\/a> about the bipartisan dynamic that led to the strengthening of this bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rabb thinks the legislation will be worth doing even if it saves one Pennsylvanian\u2019s deed from being taken. It was a single deed holder\u2019s plight that made Rabb want to draft House Bill 1406 in the first place. Rabb was taken aback to hear a senior deed holder had been defrauded in this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deed forgery is \u201cone of the most brazen crimes imaginable,\u201d Rabb says. \u201cYet, our laws still do not directly address it.\u201d State laws deal with the crimes of theft, fraud, and forgery \u2014 but many don\u2019t<\/em> specifically call out deed theft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pennsylvania is the latest jurisdiction trying to obtain justice for Pennsylvanians robbed of their deeds. Rabb and Bonner introduced the original bill in May. They look forward to a speedy enactment, since Pennsylvania\u2019s Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill unanimously this month (September 2025).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you acquiring a deed? Insurance coverage for deed fraud does exist. Ask about the <\/strong><\/em>enhanced title insurance policy<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s in Pennsylvania\u2019s Deed Fraud Bill<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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House Bill 1406 would create a second-degree felony classification for theft (including attempted theft) involving titles or deeds to real estate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Assuming Pennsylvania enacts it, this law will head off deed thievery by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n