This page collects every trustworthy number on deed theft in one place. Each figure links to the group that measured it: the FBI, the title industry, the Census Bureau, and county and state officials. We update it each spring when the FBI publishes its yearly report.
Deed theft (also called home title theft or title fraud) is when a criminal files a fake deed to take your home on paper. A deed is the document that moves a property from one owner to another. The thief then sells the home or borrows against it. Our guide to deed theft explains how it works.
How common is deed theft?
Deed theft is rare for any one home, but attempts are rising. No federal agency keeps a count of stolen deeds. The FBI puts them in a wider group called real estate fraud. That group also covers rental scams, timeshare scams and investment fraud.
The clearest local number comes from Franklin County, Ohio, home to Columbus. A county task force looked at how many deeds raise a red flag there.
deeds a year are flagged as possibly fake in Franklin County, Ohio, out of about 50,000 home titles it processes.
Source: Franklin County Deed/Title Fraud Strike Force report, April 4, 2024
National numbers point the same way. The U.S. has about 87 million homes lived in by their owners. In 2025, the FBI got 12,368 real estate fraud complaints. Even if every one were a stolen home, and most aren't, that would be about 1 in 7,000 homes.
That is our own math, from the FBI's 2025 report and the Census Bureau's count for spring 2026. It also misses cases that were never reported. But it shows why calm, simple steps are the right response, not fear. We weigh the risk in more detail in is home title theft a real problem?
How much money do people lose to real estate fraud?
People reported losing $275.1 million to real estate fraud in 2025, up 58% from 2024. Complaints rose 32%, from 9,359 to 12,368. That is the highest count in the last five years of FBI reports.
Real estate fraud complaints rose 32% in 2025
Complaints to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, by year
Show the numbers
| 2021 | 11,578 |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 11,727 |
| 2023 | 9,521 |
| 2024 | 9,359 |
| 2025 | 12,368 |
Source: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 and 2023 Internet Crime Reports. Covers all real estate fraud, not only deed theft.
Losses swing more than complaints do. In 2022, losses hit $396.9 million. They fell to $145.2 million the next year, then climbed again.
Losses rose 58% in 2025 but stayed below the 2022 peak
Real estate fraud losses reported to the FBI, in millions of dollars
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| 2021 | $350.3M |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $396.9M |
| 2023 | $145.2M |
| 2024 | $173.6M |
| 2025 | $275.1M |
Source: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 and 2023 Internet Crime Reports. Exact 2025 losses: $275,110,419, or about $22,244 per complaint (our math).
Over five years, 58,141 people reported $1.3 billion in losses. That covers 2019 through 2023, the FBI's Boston office said when it warned about quitclaim deed fraud. A quitclaim deed is a short deed that hands over whatever share of a property the signer owns, with no promises about the title.
"Folks across the region are having their roots literally pulled out from under them."
Are older homeowners hit harder by real estate fraud?
Yes. People 60 and older lose far more per case. In 2025 they filed 2,473 real estate fraud complaints and reported $123.7 million in losses. That is about $50,000 per complaint, more than twice the average for all ages.
People 60 and older filed 1 in 5 complaints but lost 45% of the money
Their share of 2025 real estate fraud complaints and losses reported to the FBI
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| Share of complaints | 20% |
|---|---|
| Share of losses | 45% |
Source: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 Internet Crime Report. Shares are our math from its tables: 2,473 of 12,368 complaints and $123,671,936 of $275,110,419 in losses.
The trend is steep, too. Complaints from people 60 and older rose 40% in 2025, and their losses rose 62%.
Is seller impersonation fraud rising?
Yes. Title firms that saw an attempt more than doubled in two years. In seller impersonation, a criminal poses as the owner to sell a property they don't own. Title firms are the companies that check ownership and handle the paperwork before a sale closes, so they see these attempts first.
Seller impersonation attempts more than doubled since 2024
Share of title firms that saw at least one attempt
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| In the past year, 2024 study | 28% |
|---|---|
| In the past year, 2026 study | 59% |
| In the past month, 2024 study | 19% |
| In the past month, 2026 study | 45% |
| Three or more in the past month, 2024 study | 4% |
| Three or more in the past month, 2026 study | 23% |
Source: American Land Title Association, Seller Impersonation Fraud Study, September 14, 2026. Survey of 245 title professionals in 40 states, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands, spring 2026. These are attempts, not completed thefts.
Most attempts are caught before closing. 87% of title firms said they at least somewhat often catch them while clearing the title, before the sale closes. Some still get through. One in four firms that saw an attempt also paid a claim tied to this fraud. Half of those that shared their average cost said it topped $100,000.
Criminals use new tools, too. In the same study, 58% of title firms rated deepfakes (faked images or voices) at least somewhat common in these schemes. And 87% said the same about spoofed contact details, such as fake phone numbers or emails.
Which properties do deed thieves target most?
Thieves pick property where no one is watching. Vacant land tops the list. Next come homes whose owners live elsewhere, homes with no mortgage, and homes whose owner recently died.
Vacant land is the top target
Share of title firms rating each type at least somewhat common in seller impersonation fraud
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| Vacant land | 82% |
|---|---|
| Owner lives elsewhere | 72% |
| No mortgage | 68% |
| Owner recently died | 55% |
| Vacation home | 51% |
| Rental property | 48% |
| Main home | 25% |
Source: American Land Title Association, Seller Impersonation Fraud Study, September 14, 2026. The study rates property types and owner types separately; both are shown here. Also rated: agricultural land 36%, commercial property 13%.
Real estate agents see the same pattern. A 2025 survey asked REALTOR® associations in 43 states and territories and Washington, D.C. about fraud. Residential land made up 52% of the cases they knew about. Owner-occupied homes made up 12%. The survey was small, so NAR calls its figures "guiding points."
The FBI agrees. In June 2026 it warned owners of vacant land that criminals pose as them to sell their lots. It told owners to ask their county whether it offers free alerts. For how the schemes work step by step, see how criminals steal homes on paper.
Deed theft statistics by city and state
A few cities, counties and states publish their own numbers. They count different things, so compare them with care. New York has the most data.
Deed theft complaints to New York's Attorney General more than tripled
Complaints received by year, New York State
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| 2023 | 149 |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 222 |
| 2025 | 517 |
Source: New York Attorney General's office data, via CBS News New York, April 1, 2026.
| Place | Number | What it counts | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City | About 3,500 | Deed theft complaints to the NYC Sheriff, 2014 to April 2023. More than 1,500 came from Brooklyn and about 1,000 from Queens. | NY Attorney General, Apr. 2023 |
| Queens, NY | 23 | Homes the Queens District Attorney says it has returned to their true owners. Its housing bureau started in 2020. | CBS News New York, Apr. 2026 |
| New England | 2,301 | Real estate fraud victims in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, 2019 to 2023. They lost more than $61.5 million. | FBI Boston, Apr. 2025 |
| Arizona | 372 | Real estate fraud complaints to the state Attorney General since January 2024. | KJZZ, Aug. 2026 |
| Harris County, TX | 40 | Homes returned to their owners by one 2025 court judgment in a forgery scheme. | Harris County Attorney, Sept. 2025 |
| Orange County, CA | 132 | Suspected real estate fraud cases sent to the District Attorney in the 2025–26 fiscal year. It filed 4 cases and won 6 convictions. | Orange County DA, 2026 |
| Franklin County, OH | Fewer than 10 | Deeds flagged as possibly fake each year, out of about 50,000 home titles. | County task force, Apr. 2024 |
Complaints are reports, not proven cases. Places that track deed theft closely will show higher numbers than places that don't.
How many homeowners use free property fraud alerts?
More each year, and the free alert is the best first step. Many counties will email you when a deed or mortgage is recorded in your name, so you hear about it soon after it's filed.
rise in new sign-ups for Palm Beach County's free Property Fraud Alert over six months. Nearly 130,000 people now use it, the most of any Florida county.
Source: Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, June 11, 2026. Growth compares December 2025 to May 2026 with the same months a year earlier.
In Franklin County, Ohio, more than 20,000 people had signed up for the county auditor's free e-Alert by April 2024. Our guide to the free Property Fraud Alert explains what these alerts catch and what they miss. For every free step in one place, see how to protect your home title for free.
What don't deed theft statistics tell you?
Every number on this page has limits. Read them as signs of a trend, not as an exact count.
Frequently asked questions
How common is deed theft?
It is rare for any one home, but attempts are rising. No agency counts stolen deeds on their own. In Franklin County, Ohio, fewer than 10 of about 50,000 deeds a year are flagged as possibly fake. Yet 59% of title firms saw at least one attempt to sell a property by posing as its owner in the year before their 2026 survey.
How do you know if your home title has been stolen?
Look up your property in your county's records and check for a deed or mortgage you never signed. Other signs are tax or utility bills that stop coming, mail for a new owner, and strangers asking about a sale you never planned. A free county alert can email you when a document is recorded in your name.
How do deeds get stolen?
New York's Attorney General names two common ways. In forgery, a thief fakes the owner's signature on a deed and files it with the county. In fraud, the owner is tricked into signing their deed over without knowing what they are signing.
Who is most at risk of deed theft?
Owners who aren't around to notice. Title firms rate vacant land, homes whose owners live elsewhere, homes with no mortgage, and homes whose owner recently died as common targets. Older owners lose the most: people 60 and older reported 45% of real estate fraud losses to the FBI in 2025.
How can I protect my home title for free?
Sign up for your county's free property fraud alert, check your property record online once a year, and watch for tax bills that stop coming. These steps don't stop a fake deed being filed, but they help you find one fast, when it is easier to undo.
Can I use these statistics?
See what your county record says
Look up your property today and sign up for your county's free alert. Then see whether a recorded notice that tells buyers and lenders to check with you makes sense for your home.
See how Still My Home works6 free steps firstSources
- 2025 Internet Crime Report, FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2026 (real estate complaints and losses, 2023 to 2025, all ages and people 60+)
- 2023 Internet Crime Report, FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2024 (real estate complaints and losses, 2021 and 2022)
- FBI Boston Warns Quit Claim Deed Fraud is on the Rise, FBI Boston Field Office, April 1, 2025
- Protect Your Property from Illegal Sales Through Parcel Owner Impersonation (I-061626-PSA), FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, June 16, 2026
- Seller Impersonation Fraud Study, American Land Title Association, September 14, 2026 (see also the study page)
- 2025 Deed & Title Fraud Survey, National Association of REALTORS®, May 29, 2025
- 2024 Deed/Title Fraud Strike Force Report & Recommendations, Franklin County, Ohio, April 4, 2024
- Quarterly Residential Vacancies and Homeownership, Second Quarter 2026, U.S. Census Bureau, July 28, 2026 (86,985,000 owner-occupied homes, Table 3)
- Deed theft complaints have tripled in New York in recent years, data shows, Tim McNicholas, CBS News New York, April 1, 2026
- Attorney General James Takes Action to Protect New Yorkers' Homes and Combat Deed Theft, New York Attorney General, April 27, 2023
- Deed theft, New York Attorney General, checked October 13, 2026
- Free program can help protect Arizona homeowners against deed fraud, Kathy Ritchie, KJZZ, August 28, 2026
- Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee secures judgment returning 40 properties in forgery scheme, Harris County Attorney's Office, September 4, 2025
- Real Estate Fraud Prosecution Unit Annual Report (FY 2025-26), Orange County District Attorney's Office, California, 2026
- Have You Registered Your Home Yet for Property Fraud Alert?, Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, June 11, 2026