Summary
Deed and title fraud are serious and growing threats, particularly to vacant land and properties in urban/suburban areas. The NAR survey reveals strong support for electronic alerts, freezing tools, and proactive policies to protect property rights. For realtors and homeowners, awareness and layered safeguards are essential to defend against these evolving scams.
In today’s fast-paced real estate market, one quiet but growing threat is catching the attention of homeowners and real estate professionals alike—deed and title fraud. According to the 2025 Deed and Title Fraud Survey conducted by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), awareness of this type of fraud is on the rise, and protecting your property has never been more important.
More than 60% of REALTORS® surveyed reported being aware of deed or title fraud in their market over the past year. The issue is especially prevalent in the Northeast (92%), but it’s also becoming a concern across central cities (64%) and suburban areas (62%) throughout the country.
What exactly is deed or title fraud? It typically involves criminals forging documents to illegally transfer ownership of a property—often vacant land or second homes—without the owner’s knowledge. The fraudster may then attempt to list, rent, or even sell the property under false pretenses. Alarmingly, the survey found that 62% of fraud cases involve vacant land, while only 12% target owner-occupied homes. These crimes can go undetected until it’s too late, often leaving owners in costly and time-consuming legal battles to reclaim their property rights.
Thankfully, efforts to fight back are underway. The survey showed that 76% of jurisdictions have policies in place to prevent or address deed and title fraud, with most implemented at the state level. These policies focus on both prevention and mitigation—more than half of respondents indicated their regions are actively working to prevent fraud before it happens, while others have systems in place to help homeowners recover when fraud does occur.
Among the most effective tools identified in the survey are electronic property alerts that notify owners when a filing occurs on their property (supported by 83% of respondents), title freeze systems that block unauthorized changes (61%), and red flag systems used by county recorders to identify suspicious filings (60%). These measures are seen as crucial steps in helping property owners stay ahead of potential fraud.
In areas where no protections currently exist, about 30% are in the process of developing solutions, often in collaboration with REALTOR® associations, title companies, and public agencies. There is strong consensus around the importance of digital alerts and more transparency in county recorder systems as affordable and effective lines of defense.
So, what can homeowners do today to protect themselves?
- Sign up for property alerts if your county offers them. These systems will notify you of any changes made to your title or deed records.
- Check public records periodically to ensure no unauthorized activity has taken place.
- Invest in Owner’s Title Insurance, which may help cover losses from forgery or undiscovered ownership issues.
- Stay in contact with your REALTOR®, who can be a trusted resource in keeping you informed and prepared.
Deed and title fraud may not make daily headlines, but it’s a real and rising concern—especially in today’s digital and decentralized property systems. Whether you’re a homeowner, investor, or real estate professional, awareness and action are key. Protect your property. Stay informed. And don’t let a forged signature steal what’s rightfully yours.
Read the entire National Association of Realtors survey here.
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