4 Signs You’re a Victim of Deed Theft (and How To Avoid It) – Technologist

Deed theft happens when someone steals your home’s title and takes action — or tries to take action — against your property for financial gain. Also called home title theft, this crime isn’t new. But it’s gained more attention as high profile properties, including Elvis Presley’s Graceland, have been targeted.

The good news is there are clues that let you know someone may be trying to make a move on your property. This article lets you know what to look for, including:

• 4 Signs You’re a Victim of Deed Theft
  • Strange or Missing Mail
  • Unauthorized Credit Activity
  • Foreclosure Notice
  • Signs of Life at a Vacant Property
• Tips To Lower Your Risk of Deed Theft

4 Signs You’re a Victim of Deed Theft

For most of us, our house is the single most expensive purchase we’ll make. And the last thing you want is for someone to quietly work around you and steal your property. While deed theft isn’t common compared to other types of fraud, it’s very real.

Unfortunately, your risk for deed theft increases if you own a vacant property, have paid off your home, or you’re a senior. But there are signs that serve as red flags when someone might be trying to steal your deed.

Here are four big ones:

1. Your Mail Seems Different.

Check your mail regularly and look out for changes in the types of mail you receive. If you suddenly start receiving mail about your home or for home services that you’re not expecting, this is a red flag. Or, on the flip side, maybe you’ve stopped receiving things you expect, like bills, tax documents or other paperwork. This is also a red flag.

You shouldn’t get bills or collection letters you’re not expecting. And you shouldn’t suddenly stop getting mail that you are expecting either.

2. You Notice Unauthorized Credit Activity.

It’s so important to monitor your credit regularly. People who don’t are more likely to be victims of identity theft. And identity theft is sometimes how deed theft begins. To protect yourself against identity theft, freeze your credit!

But if you notice new credit activity that you don’t recognize, this is a sign that you could be a victim of fraud.

3. You Receive a Foreclosure Notice.

If you receive notice that foreclosure proceedings are about to begin or that you’re in default on a loan, these are signs that you’re a victim of deed theft. Ideally, you will spot other signs before this happens so that you can take action to rectify the situation immediately.

4. There Are Signs of Life at a Vacant Property.

Vacant properties come with additional risks. For those of you who own property that you don’t live in full-time, you’ll want to make sure you have eyes on your property regularly. If you’re unable to monitor your home yourself, make sure you have people nearby who can do it for you.

You can also buy a camera system, which Clark recommends as a way to protect your home from being stolen by squatters. The most obvious sign of life is seeing people living in your home.

From afar, another thing to do is monitor your utility bills. Any utility bills should be pretty steady. If your bills suddenly rise, that might let you know someone is living in your home.

Tips To Lower Your Risk of Deed Theft

Now that you know what to look for, let’s talk about actions you can take before you spot any signs of deed theft. Here are three easy things you can do to lower your risk of deed theft:

• Get owner’s title insurance for your property. This coverage provides financial protection against losses related to a property’s title and will protect you if someone comes after your deed. If you’ve been in your home for a while, there’s a good chance you already have it. I’ve written about how to find out if you have owner’s title insurance here.
• Check your state and county to see if title alerts are available through the clerk’s office. If your county offers alerts, you can likely get an email or text notification whenever there’s activity with your title. For example, here in Georgia we have the Georgia Clerk’s Filing Activity Notification System (FANS), which notifies residents, “when certain real estate and personal property records are filed with, indexed, and data is transmitted by Clerks of Superior Court throughout the state of Georgia.”
• Set up a Google Alert for your home address. Once you set up an alert with Google Alerts, you can get notified via email any time someone posts something online that has your address in it. You can choose the frequency of notifications, but this is a quick and free way to see if your property is being mentioned online. You need a Google account to use this tool, then you can follow Google’s step-by-step instructions on how to create alerts.

Final Thoughts

The idea of losing your home to thieves is frightening. And while it’s possible, it’s not common. Still, there are signs to keep your eyes open for that can help you spot suspicious activity before too much damage is done.

While the thought of deed theft might drive you towards title monitoring services like Home Title Lock, these subscriptions aren’t necessary. They can’t prevent deed theft from happening. And there are free services that can offer you the same alerts when something suspicious is taking place.

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