FBI Issues Warning To Homeowners About ‘Title Pirates’ Scam That Could Cost Them Everything

A Plymouth homeowner didn’t lose his house by sheer luck, he lost it on paper for a split second. One random knock turned into a nightmare, and a call he almost ignored turned into the difference between “my property is fine” and “where did my deed go?”

John Grimes said he bought his home six years ago, then in September last year an attorney reached out with the kind of news that makes your stomach drop: his property was being listed for sale. Around the same time, an engineering firm showed up to talk about a plot plan, while Grimes’ parents nearly got their Cape Cod waterfront access land stolen by the same title pirates game, with panic and paperwork flying fast.

The part that makes this so brutal is how it can look normal right up until the forged signature shows up.

Online scammers can steal and sell land

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When John Grimes described the engineering firm knocking on his door, you could feel how harmless the first steps looked before the “listed for sale” bomb hit.</p>

Another man, John Grimes from Plymouth, said he bought his home six years ago but was shocked when an attorney contacted him in September of last year to inform him that his house was listed for sale.

Grimes recalled being at home when an engineering firm unexpectedly knocked on his door to discuss a plot plan for the property. He shared that his family had nearly been victimized before, explaining that his parents almost lost their Cape Cod waterfront access land to scammers.

"I explained to him, 'Don't do anything; you are caught up in a scam!' I was just like, 'Oh my God, this is still happening,'" he said. "My mother was in a state of panic; she said, 'Absolutely not, the land is not for sale,'" Grimes added.

Following the incident, Grimes filed a fraud report with the FBI and enrolled in free notification alerts to monitor any activity related to the registry of deeds.

"I got a phone call from a lawyer just outside of Boston, and he had received a request asking him to facilitate a closing with an e-signature. Everything was all set. But it wasn't my real signature," Grimes told the Daily Mail.

Had he not received that phone call, it might have been too late to save his property after a purchase and sale agreement had already been made using his forged signature.

Title theft can be a complex issue that often goes unnoticed until it's too late.nolo.com'>Nolo.com, title fraud typically involves someone posing as the property owner and selling the property to an unsuspecting buyer. This can occur due to inadequate property record checks or outdated title insurance policies. Vigilance and proactive measures are key to safeguarding one’s assets in today’s digital age.

Thousands of people have discovered that thieves stole their land and sold it to others.

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Then the Boston-area call came in, and that fake e-signature request is the exact moment the whole scam could have locked in if Grimes had missed it.</p>

It’s a similar standoff to when the AI firm declined the Pentagon contract over worries about potential US applications, read the details.

Shedding light on the situation, the FBI stated it cannot comment on specific cases but noted that thieves appear to be targeting elderly individuals, taking advantage of the digital nature of modern contracts to commit the crimes more easily.

"Our elderly population [is more at risk] because they are more likely to own vacant pieces of land that they have had for quite some time, and they are also more likely to own homes without any mortgages on them," FBI Special Agent Vivian Barrios told CBS. "Because those have the biggest benefit to the criminal actor."

Although land theft has been rising nationwide, investigators in Boston report that cases are becoming increasingly common in their area, prompting the FBI to issue a warning about the growing threat of so-called "title pirates."

Between 2019 and 2023, approximately 2,301 residents across Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island fell victim to land theft, resulting in more than $61.5 million in losses.

During the same period, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center recorded 58,141 reports of real estate theft nationwide, with total losses amounting to $1.3 billion. Special Agent Barrios is encouraging victims to report any suspicious activity as soon as possible.

"We find that within a 24-hour window, we can sometimes get to the money before it's left the account, and the banks, together with us, can sometimes get the money back to the victims," Barrios explained.

After he filed the fraud report and set up free notification alerts, the story flips from “how did this happen?” to “how do you keep it from happening again?”</p>

Legal professionals emphasize the importance of understanding one’s rights in property ownership. Nolo notes that educating homeowners about title insurance and the potential risks can significantly reduce incidents of title piracy. Homeowners should consult with real estate attorneys to clarify their ownership status and seek guidance on protecting their assets.

Additionally, establishing alerts for any changes in property records can serve as an early warning system against fraudulent activities. Such proactive steps can make a considerable difference in maintaining property security.

As the threat of title theft continues to grow, homeowners must take proactive steps to protect their properties.

He only got his property back because a phone call interrupted the forgery in time.

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