Across New York, deed theft — white-collar criminals using forgery or fraud to take homes away from their true owners — is on the rise.
Complaints about deed theft to the attorney general’s office more than tripled from 2023 to 2025, according to an analysis by CBS News New York. Officials attributed much of that rise to a 2024 law allowing the attorney general’s office to prosecute deed theft and a resulting rise in awareness. Council Member Chi Ossé’s arrest last week during a protest in Bed-Stuy over a property dispute also brought more attention to the issue.
So did a subsequent announcement by Mayor Zohran Mamdani on April 24 establishing a new office to combat deed theft. “In the past, city government has too often stood idly by while deed theft occurs,” Mamdani said. “We are bringing that era to an end.”
Yet preventing fraud is better than having recourse once it happens, and understanding how deed theft and other unscrupulous practices work is a first step, since they rely on New Yorkers, especially older homeowners or their heirs, remaining uninformed, advocates say.
“With our seniors, they’ve been trying to mislead them, as if they are familiar with them, as if they are a family member — even such things as trying to go after their deed or change the name on their deed,” Jessica Franco, an affordable housing organizer in Cypress Hills and East New York, previously told Epicenter NYC.
Here are ways to protect yourself from deed theft and other, sometimes legal, tactics property speculators use to take rights to your home.
Know what deed theft looks like
Deed theft can happen when scammers file fake documents like deeds, mortgages or tax or utility liens to claim that they own your home.
They may do this by forging signatures.
Or they may trick homeowners into signing documents they don’t fully understand, disguising them as refinancing or repair agreements. If you’re behind on payments, someone might ask you to give them your home on paper to fix your credit.
Scammers often prey on people who are anxious about losing their home, according to HomeownerHelpNY. They may tell you signing a document will save your home from foreclosure. They may offer you quick cash and promise your property transfer is temporary and that you’ll be able to buy your home back later. They may pressure you by saying it’s a time-sensitive offer or discourage you from seeking your own lawyer.
Other times, scammers work around the homeowner to take action directly. In those cases, these red flags might pop up:
- missing property tax or water bills or other mail
- unexpected notices or legal papers
- strangers expressing unusual interest in your property
Sometimes neighbors can help fend off such scams. “If somebody is on your block taking pictures of homes or trying to talk to or coerce one of our neighbors, I need you to step up,” Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman said at the City Hall press conference. While it’s legal to take photos in public spaces, you can still say something.
Since deed thieves may target a property that looks abandoned, take care of any property you own even if you’re living elsewhere. Or ask someone else to look after it.
If you stop receiving your property tax and water bills or if your utility bills suddenly soar, visit the Department of Finance site or call 311, according to the attorney general’s office.
Be cautious of offers and paperwork involving your home
At the press conference, Peter White, the new director for the Office of Deed Theft Prevention, painted this picture of a common deceptive practice: a grandmother who suddenly receives an eviction notice after having bought her home 40 years ago and paid off the mortgage a decade ago. She realizes the alleged landlord listed is the local handyman that did repairs on her home at a discounted rate.
“ ‘I never signed my home over to him,’ she says to herself,” White said. “ ‘But wait — I did sign a contract with him, but it was so many papers.’ She just didn’t quite know what she was signing. She can’t exactly remember what she signed.”
Since many deed theft cases start with a signature, according to HomeownerHelpNY and the attorney general’s office, you should:
- never sign anything you don’t understand
- be wary of deals that sound too good to be true, or of upfront fees for a loan modification, which are nearly always illegal
- review any documents that may affect your property with a lawyer or housing counselor
- keep copies of any written communications, such as letters, emails, texts and other papers, involving your property
- keep track of contact information and dates for any communications involving your property
Equip yourself with property information
The city recommends two key prevention tactics:
- Check your property’s deed in the City Register’s records at least once a year (but not so often that it contributes to anxiety).
The Automated City Register Information System (ACRIS) allows you to search property records and make sure no deeds or mortgages have been taken out on your home without your consent. You can view documents for Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx and Brooklyn from 1966 on by searching here. If you live on Staten Island, search here.
You can search via the address or the borough, block and lot of the property. You can find the property’s borough, block and lot number at www.nyc.gov/bbl or on your most recent property tax bill.
Being clear on property ownership, and ensuring your paperwork is secure, makes you less vulnerable to property scams. After all, deed thieves tend to target homes where the owner died a long time ago and their heirs haven’t transferred the property title.
According to the attorney general’s office, you should:
- keep copies of important documents in a secure place
- make a clear will or estate plan
- update deeds soon after inheritance
- inform trusted family members about property records
- Sign up for alerts
The city offers a free tool to alert you to any suspicious activity involving your property. When you sign up for the Notice of Recorded Document Program, the City Register will mail you a notification when any new document is recorded against your property. This will give you a chance to respond quickly if, for instance, you see an unfamiliar mortgage or deed transaction or something looks off.
You can also choose to be notified by email or text message. And you can designate someone you trust, such as a family member or legal representative, to receive notifications.
If you’re unable to register online, complete and mail this application to the NYC Department of Finance.
Know about available resources
If you’re being evicted in housing court by a scammer, you can ask the judge to pause the eviction proceeding for 90 days to challenge their assertion of property ownership. If needed, get legal help – but not through a lawyer referred to you by a real estate agent or someone else who might have an interest in your property, the attorney general’s office said.
The Homeowner Protection Program, which is supported by the attorney general’s office, is a network of housing counselors and lawyers who can provide free counseling and legal assistance throughout New York. If you’re a homeowner and need help, call 855-466-3456 or fill out an online form.
If you’re a New Yorker and believe you’re a victim of deed theft, call the attorney general’s office at 800-771-7755, email deedtheft@ag.ny.gov or file a confidential deed theft complaint form.
