It is a thing. Thieves and bad actors are always on the prowl for new ideas.
Do you know how easy it is to file a fraudulent deed? You file a deed. No one checks at the County to see if it’s legit as long as it’s filled out and filed correctly. Can someone file a deed claiming your property? Yup! What they do with it is another question.
A recent example of this in my business came when I was introduced to a Trustee after the matriarch of the family became the second parent to die. While the parents created a trust, after their mother died, things unraveled between the siblings. The Trustee wanted to sell the house and other siblings wanted to keep the house and rent it. One of the siblings filed a new deed, making them in charge as Trustee.
Short version while this is being litigated. It’s that easy to change the title.
Fraud is more common and easier to get away with when you own a second home, and that home has been paid off. Bonus points to the criminal if the home is vacant. They change title and can sell the home, and you no longer have that second home.
If you live in Los Angeles County, the County offers a service to notify you whenever there are any changes to the title of a registered property. Go to:
https://assessor.lacounty.gov/
It is free to register. Although it does not block any filings, it will notify you as soon as a document is recorded on the property. You will need the assessor parcel number of each property you’d like to register. If you don’t have that, feel free to reach out to me and I can quickly get that for you.
As always, if you have any questions about this or anything real estate related, please reach out!