What to Do if Someone Tries to Steal Your House Title
Discovering that you are a victim of deed fraud is a terrifying moment. If you suspect that someone tried to steal your house title by filing a fraudulent document, you must act quickly and decisively to protect your ownership and limit the financial damage. This guide provides a clear, step-by-step emergency action plan.
The moment you suspect fraud—whether from a monitoring alert or a suspicious notice in the mail—is the moment you must take control of the situation.
Step 1: Contact Your County Recorder’s Office Immediately
Your first call should be to the County Recorder or Register of Deeds where your property is located. Inform them that you believe a fraudulent document has been filed. Ask for a copy of the suspicious document (e.g., the forged deed). They cannot remove it themselves, but they are your first point of contact for official records.
Step 2: Hire a Real Estate Attorney
This is not a DIY situation. You need a qualified real estate attorney. Explain the situation and provide them with the documents from the recorder’s office. They will likely need to file a “quiet title action,” which is a lawsuit that asks a court to invalidate the fraudulent document and legally declare you as the rightful owner. This is a critical step when someone tries to steal your house title.
Step 3: File a Report with Local Law Enforcement
Contact your local police or sheriff’s department to file a report for property fraud and identity theft. A formal police report is a crucial piece of evidence for your legal case and for dealing with credit bureaus and lenders.
Step 4: Place a Freeze on Your Credit
Immediately contact all three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to place a security freeze on your credit. This will help prevent the thief from taking out a mortgage or HELOC against your property, which is often their primary goal.
Step 5: Notify Your Title Monitoring Service and Title Insurance Company
If you have a title monitoring service, contact their fraud resolution department. They have experts who can guide you through the recovery process. You should also contact the title insurance company that issued your policy when you bought the home; while they may not cover post-closing fraud, they need to be made aware of the issue. When someone tries to steal your house title, having experts on your side is invaluable. For more on this, see our article on Title and Deed Fraud – Protect Your Home with HomeLock. For federal resources, report the crime to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).