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The house can look exactly the same from the street while the ownership record tells a very different story. New Jersey investigators say deed fraud is rising as criminals impersonate owners, use remote closings and fraudulent notarizations, and move property before the real owner realizes what happened. Nationwide reported real estate fraud losses climbed from about $173.6 million in 2024 to $275.1 million in 2025. Read why detecting the deed may only be the beginning of the homeowner’s fight.
Seller impersonation fraud attempts are rising fast. New 2026 ALTA data shows the share of respondents encountering at least one attempt more than doubled from the 2024 survey. Vacant land, absentee-owned properties and free-and-clear homes were among the characteristics most often associated with these schemes. The bigger concern for homeowners is what happens if the fraud gets through before anyone catches it.
Home title theft and deed fraud are closely related and are often used interchangeably. Home title theft is the broader term for schemes aimed at gaining control of or profiting from someone else’s property, while deed fraud is one of the main ways it can happen. Learn how these schemes work, which properties may be targeted, the warning signs to watch for, and how different types of home title protection compare.