Real estate fraud can come in various forms, such as deed fraud, elder abuse fraud, mortgage fraud, seller impersonation fraud, and wire fraud. ALTA's advocacy team is dedicated to assisting the state and federal governments in developing legislation to prevent fraud and support the secure transfer of real estate.
Deed Fraud
Deed fraud, also known as home title fraud or title theft, is the illegal transfer and recording of a real estate title without the knowledge or consent of the legal owner. Perpetrators attempt to "sell" property to innocent buyers or borrow against property from unsuspecting lenders by forging the signatures of the true owners.
Elder Abuse Fraud
Elder abuse fraud involves illegally using an older adult's money, property, or resources for personal gain. This can include cashing checks without permission, forging signatures, stealing money, coercing them into signing documents, using their assets without consent, and misusing their identity to open credit accounts.
Mortgage Fraud
Mortgage fraud is when someone intentionally or knowingly provides false or misleading information to get a mortgage loan. Borrowers or mortgage industry professionals can commit mortgage fraud.
Seller Impersonation Fraud
Fraudsters are impersonating property owners to illegally sell commercial or residential property. Fraudsters use the real property owner’s Social Security and driver’s license numbers in the transaction, and legitimate notary credentials, which may be applied without the notary’s knowledge.
Wire Fraud/Closing Scams
Wire transfer fraud is a form of cybercrime in which scammers use electronic communication to deceive individuals into sending money to them under false pretenses.
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