On May 23, 2024, a lender that did not exist planned to auction Graceland at 11 a.m. outside the Shelby County Courthouse1. A Shelby County judge stopped the sale the day before. The woman behind it was later sentenced to 57 months in federal prison2.
She used the same tools as smaller Memphis scams: forged signatures and papers sent to the Register of Deeds, the office that keeps the county's property records. Its free fraud alert and record search can help you spot a forged filing early.
What happened in the fake Graceland foreclosure, step by step?
A Missouri woman invented a lender, forged Lisa Marie Presley's signature and claimed Graceland was security for an unpaid loan. She pleaded guilty to mail fraud in 2025. These dates come from the FBI agent's sworn statement and Justice Department releases3,4.
- Sept. 2023Using the fake name "Carolyn Williams," she files a claim against Lisa Marie Presley's estate in Los Angeles. It says Presley borrowed $3.8 million in 2018 and pledged Graceland3.
- Nov. and Dec. 2023A package to the "Shelby County Register" sets up payment of filing fees. A caller using the fake name asks about e-filing a deed of trust, a loan paper that lets a lender sell a home if the loan goes unpaid. The fake loan papers then arrive by email3.
- April 18, 2024An email to the family's lawyers says the "lender" is "prepared to Foreclose on secured property Graceland and hold Public Auction in 20 (twenty) days"3.
- May 2024A "Notice of Foreclosure Sale" runs in The Commercial Appeal, setting the auction for May 233.
- May 15, 2024Riley Keough, Elvis Presley's granddaughter, who owns Graceland, sues in Shelby County Chancery Court. Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins, the judge, puts the sale on hold3,1.
- May 22, 2024No one shows up for the "lender." The chancellor issues an injunction, a court order barring the sale. The "lender" then says it is dropping its claim3.
- Aug. 16, 2024Lisa Jeanine Findley, 53, of Kimberling City, Missouri, is arrested and charged with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft4.
- Feb. 25, 2025Findley pleads guilty to one count of mail fraud5.
- Sept. 2025A federal judge in Memphis sentences her to 57 months in prison and three years of supervision2.
How was the fake Graceland sale caught in time?
It was caught by people, not software. The family's lawyers answered the newspaper notice in court, and the Florida notary named on the papers swore she never notarized them.
Tennessee requires a foreclosure sale to run in a local newspaper at least twice, starting at least 20 days ahead6. The fake lender could place that ad without going to court first. The system "leaves such battles up to the courts to decide," NBC News explained7.
The notary said no
The Florida notary named on the papers swore she never met Lisa Marie Presley and never notarized the loan papers3.
A 2018 form with a 2020 option
The notary wording offered "online notarization," which Florida did not allow until 2020, NPR noted1.
Nothing on record
An administrator at the Register's office told NBC News the company had "filed nothing in our office"7.
Most Shelby County cases are quieter. Memphis police told a state commission that fraud with quitclaim deeds, short forms that hand over whatever share of a home the signer has, is what they see most8.
As FOX13 put it, "The only thing a crook needs is a simple document called a quit claim deed and a notary's stamp"9. No newspaper ad warns you, but the Register's free alert can.
How does the Shelby County Register of Deeds fraud alert work?
You enter a name and an email address. When a document is recorded in Shelby County under that name, the system emails you, and texts you if you gave a phone number.
The Register created the program after several older residents were scammed with quitclaim deeds, the Tennessee Bar Association reported in January 202410. An outside company, i3 Verticals, runs the sign-up form, so it sits on a bislandrecords.com address11.
- Open the Register's Fraud Alert page and click "Sign Up Here."
- Read the disclaimer and click "Accept."
- Choose "Personal," or "Business" for a company, and type the name as it appears on your deed, the paper that made you the owner.
- Enter one email address. Add a 10-digit phone number if you also want texts.
- Click "Submit Name." Repeat for each other version of the name, such as with a middle initial, "Jr." or a maiden name.
Type a middle name or suffix after a space, such as "John Q." If nothing arrives, check your spam folder12.
Owners enrolled in March 2024, out of about 250,000 property owners in the county. That is about 1 in 1313.
Source: ABC24 (WATN), April 25, 2024
What the alert does
- Free, by email and optional text
- Covers "Any/All recording changes" under your names
- Can watch a company name, such as an LLC
What it does not do
- It can't stop a filing. Its email comes only once a document is already on record.
- It matches names, not addresses. A misspelled name may slip past.
- It covers Shelby County records only.
- It can't see papers that never reach the Register, like the Graceland ad.
How do you check a new filing in the free Shelby County deed search?
Open the Register's Property Search, enter your name or address, and limit it to recent dates. Many recorded documents can be viewed and copied free online.
- Open the Property Search.
- Type your last and first name under "Grantor or Grantee." The grantor gives a property away; the grantee receives it.
- Search by street address instead, written like the page's example, "123 MAIN," or by parcel number, the county's ID for a piece of land.
- Enter a start date under "Recorded Between" to see only recent filings.
- Open any document you did not sign and note its instrument number, the office's ID for that filing.
The page shows how current it is. On October 25, 2026, it said records were "Verified Through: October 22, 2026"14. Copies made at an office cost $0.50 a page15.
Does this happen to ordinary Memphis homes?
Yes, though it is still rare for any one home. Shelby County reports more home thefts than any other Tennessee county, and the usual tool is a forged quitclaim deed.
Shelby County reports the most stolen property in Tennessee
Property structures reported stolen to police, 2019 to 2024, top four counties
Show the numbers
| Shelby | 90 |
|---|---|
| Hamilton | 51 |
| Davidson | 21 |
| Montgomery | 20 |
Source: Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR), Protecting Tennesseans from Real Estate Fraud, September 2026, from Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System data8
To keep it in proportion: state data count 185 homes stolen in Tennessee from 2019 to 2024, 48 of them in Shelby County. Statewide, that is about one home for every 3,000 home sales8. For how these schemes work, read our guide to deed theft.
What has Tennessee changed since the Graceland case?
One new rule is in force: since July 1, 2025, only lawyers, banks, credit unions, licensed lenders, title companies and governments may e-file papers with a Tennessee register16. Bigger ideas are not law yet.
Court papers say the Graceland faker asked about an e-file account and swore to be "a licensed attorney and/or the custodian" of the papers3. Shelby County's Register also said it was open to testing ID checks for people who file deeds. A state commission later dropped that Shelby-only test after other registers objected8.
| Idea | Where it stands | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Only lawyers, banks, credit unions, licensed lenders, title companies and governments may e-file (Public Chapter 104) ¹⁶ | Law since July 1, 2025 | Everyone else files on paper |
| Limit who may prepare a deed, plus a sworn statement (House Bill 1762) ¹⁷ | Passed both chambers in different forms in April 2026, then stuck in a conference committee | Not law |
| Notary training, ID checks and a 5-year notary journal; new deed theft felonies ⁸ | Recommended by the state commission in September 2026 | Not law yet |
One law already applies. Knowingly preparing, signing or filing a transfer paper for property the grantor has no interest in is a felony. After a conviction, the court may declare the fake document "void and of no legal effect"18.
Who should you call in Shelby County about a strange deed?
Call the Register of Deeds first to confirm what was recorded. Then file a police report and get legal help.
- Shelby County Register of Deeds: 901-222-8100, weekdays 8:00 am to 4:15 pm. Main office: 1075 Mullins Station, Building W3, Suite W165. Also at 157 Poplar Avenue, Room 124 (downtown), and 1254 East Shelby Drive, Suite 1267 (Whitehaven)19.
- Police: file a report where the home is. Memphis police's Economic Crimes Bureau handles real estate fraud8.
- Shelby County District Attorney: 901-222-1300, 201 Poplar Avenue, 11th Floor20.
- Memphis Area Legal Services: (901) 523-8822 or (866) 361-9001, for free civil legal help. Older owners and people with housing problems may qualify above its usual income limits21.
- A real estate lawyer: to ask a court to cancel a fake deed. Our fraudulent deed guide walks through the steps.
Phone numbers, addresses and sign-up links on this page were checked on October 25, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is a property fraud alert legitimate in Shelby County?
Yes, if you signed up for it. The Register's own page links to the Recording Alert form at fraudalert.bislandrecords.com, and in 2024 the alerts came from reply@bislandrecords.com. The form asks only for a name, an email and an optional phone number, with no payment.
What is the Shelby County Register of Deeds phone number?
The main number is 901-222-8100, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:15 pm. The Archives Office has its own line, 901-222-8175.
Where do you go in Memphis to get a copy of a deed?
Go to a Register of Deeds office: the main office at 1075 Mullins Station, downtown at 157 Poplar Avenue, or Whitehaven at 1254 East Shelby Drive. Copies made there cost $0.50 a page. Many documents can also be viewed and copied free on the Register's website.
How common is title deed fraud in Shelby County?
It is rare for any one home, but it keeps happening. Register Willie Brooks told FOX13 it happened at least 40 times in 2025, up from at least 30 in 2024. Memphis police estimated for a state commission that they see one to three real estate fraud cases a month.
What should you do if you suspect deed fraud?
Look up the document in the Register's free Property Search, then call the Register at 901-222-8100. File a police report, and ask a lawyer about a court case to cancel the deed. Memphis Area Legal Services, (901) 523-8822, may help for free.
Have family property in Tipton, DeSoto or farther away? Check where free county fraud alerts exist before you sign up.
Sources
- A judge blocks the foreclosure sale of Elvis' Graceland, after his heir alleges fraud, Rachel Treisman, NPR, May 21, 2024 (updated May 22, 2024)
- Missouri Woman Sentenced in Scheme to Fraudulently Foreclose on Graceland, U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Tennessee, September 24, 2025
- Criminal complaint and FBI affidavit, United States v. Findley, No. 2:24-cr-20145, U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee, August 15, 2024
- Woman Charged for Scheme to Defraud Elvis Presley's Family, U.S. Department of Justice, August 16, 2024
- Woman Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud Elvis Presley's Family, U.S. Department of Justice, February 25, 2025
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 35-5-101, advertisement of foreclosure sales, Justia (2025 code), checked October 25, 2026
- Entity seeking to sell Graceland didn't file any required documents with the county, Melissa Chan and Jon Schuppe, NBC News, May 23, 2024
- Protecting Tennesseans from Real Estate Fraud, Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, September 2026
- Property fraud up 33% in Shelby County, leaders push for protection, Kate Bieri, FOX13 Memphis, December 18, 2025
- Shelby Co. Register of Deeds Creates Fraud Notification Program to Combat Quitclaim Scammers, Tennessee Bar Association, January 22, 2024
- Recording Alert sign-up for Shelby County, i3 Verticals for the Shelby County Register of Deeds, checked October 25, 2026
- Fraud Alert System FAQ, Recording Alert, checked October 25, 2026
- Did you get a "Shelby Fraud Alert" email? Here's what you need to know, ABC24 (WATN), April 25, 2024
- Property Search, Shelby County Register of Deeds, checked October 25, 2026
- Frequently asked questions, Shelby County Register of Deeds, checked October 25, 2026
- Public Chapter 104 (House Bill 1039), effective July 1, 2025, Tennessee Secretary of State, 2025
- HB 1762 bill history, Tennessee General Assembly, checked October 25, 2026
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-116, property transfer documents without interest in property, Justia (2025 code), checked October 25, 2026
- Contact us, Shelby County Register of Deeds, checked October 25, 2026
- Shelby County District Attorney General, checked October 25, 2026
- Client services, Memphis Area Legal Services, checked October 25, 2026
