Title fraud - where criminals forge deeds to steal equity from homeowners - is rising in Los Angeles County. Here's what every property owner should know.
Title fraud, also called deed theft, involves forging a property owner's signature on a deed to fraudulently transfer ownership. Los Angeles County has seen a meaningful increase in reported cases, particularly targeting properties that are free and clear (no mortgage), owned by elderly residents, or held in trusts where the monitoring activity may be lower.
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder offers a free notification service - the Property Alert system - that sends an email when any document is recorded against a specific property address or owner name. This is the most accessible and immediate protection available and takes five minutes to set up at lavote.gov.
Owner's title insurance protects against title fraud by covering the cost of legal defense and any losses resulting from a fraudulent transfer. If you purchased your home without owner's title insurance, you can purchase a retrospective policy. For paid-off properties with significant equity - common in the South Bay after decades of appreciation - this coverage is particularly valuable.
If you suspect a fraudulent transfer has occurred, act immediately. Contact the Los Angeles County Recorder, consult a real estate attorney, and file a police report. Speed matters - the longer a fraudulent deed sits on record, the more complicated unwinding it becomes. Our team can connect you with title attorneys who specialize in these situations.
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