The properties most at risk are unmonitored vacant land parcels, and seniors are most frequently affected by rising rates of deed and title fraud.
As real estate fraud rates rise, a new report finds that more than half of states do not have dedicated title fraud laws.
According to EquityProtect, a real estate records encryption and monitoring service and 2025 Inman Best of Proptech winner, 16 states do not have laws specifically focused on bookkeeping deed fraud, although some may monitor or study the issue. Eight other states have only general fraud and forgery statutes and no actual act fraud statutes.
The company tracks the state of deed theft and property fraud laws in all 50 states and the District of Columbia with its quarterly Property Protection Scorecard.
According to the Q1 2026 Scorecard, Texas, Michigan, New York, Illinois, Georgia, Tennessee, and Oklahoma have enacted deed fraud laws since 2023, and eight additional states have bills currently under consideration, suggesting momentum is building in this area.
EquityProtect’s report showed that seniors are disproportionately affected by real estate fraud. Although they make up only 19 percent of victims, they absorb 44 percent of all losses. These losses can be prohibitively expensive, according to the Scorecard: “Revoking fraudulent titles costs victims an average of $50,000 to $150,000 in legal fees, even in states with strict criminal laws.”
A recent Deed and Title Fraud Survey by the National Association of Realtors indicates that approximately 60 percent of real estate association leaders have witnessed an incident of title fraud in their local market in the past year. Vacant properties are most at risk, with 62% of title fraud cases involving vacant properties, according to NAR research.
The study also found that effective steps to combat deed fraud include an electronic notification system that alerts property owners when new documents are filed on a property, a property title freeze system to prevent fraudulent title transfers, and local recorders empowered to flag suspicious filings and refer them for investigation.
Email Christy Murdoch
