Property Deed Scam Alert
- TrainMyParent.com
- Dec 20, 2025
- 3 min read
Scammers keep getting new ways to take advantage of those who aren't paying attention. This time, we will be discussing property deed scams, which have been increasing recently.
How it works: Property deed scams are a type of identity theft where a criminal essentially transfers the deed of your home into their name, essentially taking ownership through forgery. The criminals often target rental properties, vacant homes or lots, or unimproved land because owners of these properties are not as likely to detect any suspicious activity.
First, through public records, the scammers look for properties that have a lot of equity in them, especially those that do not have any active mortgage liens on them. This equity is the target for the thieves, who then pretend to be the owner. Using fake or forged notary stamps and fake IDs, they file a change of ownership for the property with the county's registrar of deeds.
Once they falsely own the property, they take out mortgages or refinance them, or take out a line of credit against the home's equity, or potentially even selling it to an unsuspecting buyer. At the end of the scam, they vanish, and so does the money, leaving a property with a lien or a new homeowner that doesn't actually own the home.
How can that happen? First, deed information is usually a matter of public record. With the internet and searchable deed databases, searching for an enticing opportunity is easy for the criminal to do. Purchase prices, mortgages and liens, and ownership information are also filed with the registrar of deeds.
Second, anyone can purchase a notary stamp. Anyone. It may not a legitimate notary stamp, but the buyer can put whatever they want on the stamp, including the name and term of a legitimate notary. I, the author of this post, was a notary in the past, and I could not believe there was no apparent verification of my notary status when I purchased my stamp. There may have been some kind of behind-the-scenes validation done by the stamp maker, but if the scammer uses an actual notary's information, that validation would likely pass.
What are the warning signs? Unfortunately the warning signs are usually too late to arrive. They could be foreclosure notices, or signs of unexpected residents in a vacant home, or your usual quarterly municipal tax bills do not arrive because they are being sent to the new owner. You might even receive loan documents in the mail if a new loan was taken out against your property.
What can you do? Because of the rise in deed theft, many county deed registrars are now offering a notification service that will alert you if there are any actions against your property. You should sign up for this service if it is offered.
If your county does not provide this service, strongly ask them to, and regularly monitor your property's records in the registrar's database. You too can search the same database that the criminals use!
If you happen to have unimproved land or a vacant home, you or someone you know should regularly visit it to make sure there are no For Sale signs or other unexpected activities. Keep vacant homes in good shape to make it look like you are still actively involved with the home. Make sure mail does not accumulate.
If you are purchasing a property, you also need to look for the signs! These signs are typical of many scams. If the deal is too good to be true, it might be. If the seller wants to rush through the deal, or only communicates via text or email, or wants to be paid in cryptocurrency, take a moment before you buy.
If you are scammed, you really need to act fast to limit the damage. Report it immediately to the registrar of deeds, the property appraiser and tax collector, and to the Federal Trade Commission. If an online platform was involved, like Zillow, Craigslist, or Redfin, let them know as well. If a real estate agent was also involved, the National Association of Realtors should be notified as well. Finally, consult an attorney!
As we say on TrainMyParent.com, scammers keep getting trickier, and usually target those who aren't paying attention. Scams come in many forms, including phishing emails, smishing texts, quishing packages, tech support phone calls....the list keeps growing.
Learn how you can protect yourself or your family by enrolling in the Complete Internet Security Basics and Phishing Awareness Course for Parents on TrainMyParent.com
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