Recently, I went to check on a property for an executor client who lives out of state. She’s been working to settle her dad’s estate, and since she doesn’t live in Georgia, she asked me to check on the home from time to time.
I’d been there before. The familiar front door, the driveway in desperate need of some pressure-washing, the humming silence of a home that’s waiting for what’s next.
But this time, something was off…
When I arrived, the locks had been changed — and there was a realtor’s lockbox on the front door. I’d been there only a few weeks prior, and everything was normal.
I froze. I was bewildered and confused, but then my heart sank. I had read about this recently: deed fraud. It turns out, someone had impersonated the deceased homeowner and transferred ownership of the property to a “new owner.”
Home title theft, also known as deed fraud or quit claim deed fraud, is a growing problem. Criminals forge and file documents with the county to illegally transfer a property’s ownership to themselves. They then attempt to sell the home or secure loans against it, all without the knowledge of the true owner (or the executor, in this situation).
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), which provides the public with a means of reporting internet-facilitated crimes, nationwide, from 2019 through 2023, 58,141 victims reported $1.3 billion in losses relating to real estate fraud.
Who’s most vulnerable?
This type of scam especially targets:
- People over age 65
- Those who own multiple or vacant properties
- Homes that are fully paid off
- Estates caught in slow or quiet probate
Sound familiar?
So you may be saying to yourself, how would I even know that a deed fraud scam may be happening? What should you watch out for?
Well, here are a few things that could tip you off:
- Your water or property tax bills stop showing up, or come addressed to someone else.
- Utility bills on a vacant property spike out of nowhere.
- You start getting mortgage statements or loan documents you don’t recognize.
- You’re hit with foreclosure notices or default letters on loans you never took out.
- Something weird pops up on your credit report — like a new HELOC or loan you didn’t open.
- Your auto-payments suddenly stop working without explanation.
- Your credit score drops, or your monitoring service flags suspicious activity.
- Public records show your name is no longer on the deed.
- A lien or loan appears on your property — one you didn’t sign off on.
- Neighbors mention strangers hanging around your place.
- You spot your home listed for sale or rent online, and you didn’t list it.
- Or, like I recently experienced, you show up at a vacant property to find the locks have been changed!
What you can do (today):
✅ Sign up for your county’s property fraud alert system. It won’t stop fraud, but it will notify you the moment anything is filed under your name or address. On the county clerk’s website for your county of residence, and any other county where you own property, search for “Property Alert Service.”
👉 Georgia offers a property registry service where you can sign up your home. It doesn’t stop fraud, but alerts you anytime paperwork is filed on your home.
✅ Regularly check your property title’s status by visiting your local county recorder’s office or checking online
✅ Drive by the property or have a management company periodically check it.
✅ Ask your neighbors to notify you if they see anything suspicious.
✅ Take action if you stop receiving your water or property tax bills, or if utility bills on vacant properties suddenly increase.
✅ Consider freezing your credit with the three main credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, to prevent identity theft and unauthorized loans.
Property fraud is a growing issue nationwide, and unfortunately, I’ve now seen it firsthand. Unfortunately, undoing deed fraud can be a complex, time-consuming, and expensive legal battle. That’s why prevention and early alerts are your best friends here.
Please take a few minutes today to protect your home, or your loved one’s.
Because prevention really is the easiest form of protection.
