They Can Steal Your Home Without You Knowing! – Title Fraud

Someone could literally steal your house - while you're still living in it.
Yeah, that's right. It's called title fraud, and it's one of the scariest real estate scams out there. My dad is absolutely terrified of this!

Here's how it works: a scammer forges your signature and files fake documents with your county recorder's office, transferring ownership of your home to themselves - or to someone they've invented. On paper, they now "own" your house. Meanwhile, you're still paying your mortgage, your property taxes, and living there as if nothing happened.

But here's the real kicker: that scammer can take out loans or lines of credit against your property, using your home's equity as collateral. By the time you realize something's wrong, the fraudster is long gone, and you're left with a legal and financial nightmare.

You've probably seen ads for "title monitoring" or "home title lock" services that claim to protect you from this. But here's the truth - those companies can't actually prevent fraud. They simply alert you after it's already happened. And they charge you for it.

The good news? You can monitor your property title yourself for free. Most county recorder or assessor websites let you search property records and even sign up for notifications of changes to your title. Check your title every few months, and pay attention to any unusual mail or documents that mention your property.

If you suspect you've been targeted, don't wait. File a police report immediately, and contact a real estate attorney who specializes in title issues.
And of course, ask your mortgage broker what steps you can take to stay protected.

Stay alert out there.

Later, nerds.