With reported incidents piling up, the threat of fraudsters and scammers targeting real estate property through deed and title fraud is far from theoretical – something that the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors knows all too well.
According to a 2025 National Association of Realtors Deed and Fraud Survey, 63 percent of realtor association leaders have seen or heard of deed or title fraud in their local markets over the past year. The survey indicates that deed and title fraud is particularly prevalent in the northeast, where 92 percent of association leaders reported fraud incidents.
Fifty-two percent of fraud cases involved residential land, fewer than 20 percent involved detached single-family homes, and 12 percent of fraud attempts involved owner-occupied homes.
In response to this increasingly prevalent danger, the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors on June 25 issued a public call for awareness, as well as a list of recommendations that property owners can utilize to keep their assets safe from criminals.
The association recommended that property owners:
- Sign up for property alert services through the county recorder of deeds offices, where available
- Monitor all mail and public records related to their property for unexpected changes or notices
- Work with a title professional to verify ownership history and obtain title insurance, which may help guard against losses
- Report suspicious filings immediately to the county recorder, a real estate attorney and law enforcement
“Title and deed fraud is often a silent crime, but the damage can be very real,"=” Bill Lublin, president of the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors and CEO of Century 21 Advantage Gold in the Philadelphia region, said in a press release. “A fraudulent filing can put a homeowner’s legal rights and their property at risk. It’s critical that Pennsylvanians are informed about title and deed fraud and are empowered to protect their investment.”