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How can a landlord protect a rental property from deed fraud?

DoorKeeping team

3 min read

Deed fraud happens when someone records a forged or fraudulent deed that moves your property into another name, often to sell it, borrow against it or collect rent. Landlords are targets because they often own through LLCs, live elsewhere and rarely check county records. Protect yourself by signing up for your county recorder's free property alerts if it offers them, checking the record on each property a few times a year, keeping your LLC's records current and acting fast if anything changes without your knowledge.

What deed fraud is

A deed is the document that transfers ownership, and in most places it becomes effective against the public when it is recorded at the county. The recorder generally checks the format and fees, and not whether the signature is real. That is why a forged deed can end up in the official record. Once it is there, the paper trail makes the fraudster look like the owner, and the real owner has to prove the deed is false.

Deed fraud is not the same as a rental listing scam, where a stranger advertises your unit without owning it. Deed fraud changes the public record itself. Both can happen to the same property.

Why rental owners are exposed

  • Vacant or out-of-area properties go unnoticed for months.
  • Owners who hold property free and clear are attractive to someone who wants to borrow against it.
  • Properties owned by an LLC or a trust may have a public record that lists an old agent or address.
  • A landlord's mail often goes to a mailing address or a manager, so notices from the county may not be seen.
  • Landlords share ownership details in public: the sponsor page of a deal, a public LLC registration or an old listing.

Steps that help catch it early

  1. Find your county recorder or register of deeds website and check whether it offers free alerts when a document is recorded under your name or parcel. Many counties do, and the name varies.
  2. If there is no alert, set a calendar reminder to search each parcel's record two or three times a year and save a copy of what you see.
  3. Keep your deed, closing papers and LLC documents in one secure place with a backup.
  4. Keep the address on file with the county assessor, the state and the lender current, so notices reach you.
  5. Check that a mortgage or lien has not been added that you did not take out. A title company can run a report if you want a full search.
  6. Ask your title insurer or agent whether an owner's policy covers forgery and what its terms say about fraud after closing. Read the policy itself, since coverage varies.

If a mortgage lender sends a notice for a loan you do not recognize, treat it as an alert, not as junk mail.

If a deed was recorded without your knowledge

  1. Get a certified copy of the recorded deed from the county.
  2. Report it to local police and to the county recorder or the district attorney's office, since many places have a property fraud unit.
  3. Tell your title insurer, your lender and, if you own through an LLC, the other members.
  4. Contact a real estate attorney in your state quickly. Undoing a recorded deed usually needs a court order.
  5. Tell your tenants in writing who to pay, and warn them not to pay anyone else. Do this the same day if you suspect someone is collecting rent.
  6. Report identity-related fraud at IdentityTheft.gov if your personal information was used.

How a forged deed is removed, and how long it takes, depends on the state. Check your state's law and use an attorney who handles property title cases.

Sources

  1. FTC, IdentityTheft.gov, read Oct 30, 2026
  2. FBI, Common Frauds and Scams, read Oct 30, 2026
  3. FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), read Oct 30, 2026

Questions

Does the county check that a deed is real before recording it?
Usually it checks format and fees, not the signer's identity, which is how forged deeds reach the record. Rules vary, so ask your county recorder.
Can I get an alert if someone records a document on my property?
Many counties offer a free alert service by name or parcel. Search your county recorder or register of deeds site, or ask the office.
Does title insurance cover deed fraud?
It depends on the policy and on when the fraud happens. Read your owner's policy and ask your title agent in writing.

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