Deed Fraud Is Rising: What Indiana Families Need to Know (FBI Issues Warning)
Protecting your home isn’t just about locks, alarms, and insurance.
Today, one of the fastest-growing threats to homeowners happens on paper — not inside the house.
Recently, the FBI’s Boston Field Office issued a public warning that quit-claim deed fraud is increasing across the country. Criminals are targeting homeowners — especially seniors — by secretly transferring property out of their name before the victim even knows something is wrong.
Although the alert came from the Boston office, the FBI emphasized that this crime is national, and families here in Indiana face the same risks.
What the FBI Is Warning About
According to the FBI, criminals are:
- Forging the homeowner’s signature
- Recording fraudulent quit-claim deeds
- Transferring ownership to themselves or a shell company
- Taking out loans, selling the property, or collecting rent
- Leaving the real owner with the financial disaster
The FBI states that victims often don’t discover the fraud until they receive eviction notices, foreclosure letters, or unpaid tax notices.
The FBI notes: Criminals often “profit from stolen property before the victims even realize what happened.”
Why Seniors Are Targeted
The FBI highlights that scammers often look for:
- Elderly homeowners
- People who own property free and clear
- Individuals in nursing homes or long-term care
- Families going through medical issues
- Vacant properties
This is especially relevant for many Indiana families because long-term care, dementia, and Medicaid spend-down situations often leave elders vulnerable and overwhelmed.
How Criminals Pull It Off
Scammers typically:
1. Pull public property records
Many counties allow anyone to search deeds online.
2. Forge a quit-claim deed
This document transfers ownership with only a signature — no court oversight.
3. Notarize it illegally
The FBI says scammers sometimes use fake notaries or mislead real ones.
4. Record it with the county recorder
Once recorded, it looks legitimate unless investigated.
5. Cash out quickly
They may:
- Sell the home
- Take out a mortgage
- Rent the property to unsuspecting tenants
- Drain equity
Signs Your Family Could Be at Risk
The FBI advises watching for:
Mail addressed to strangers at your home
Bills or mail for properties you don’t recognize
Sudden changes in property tax statements
Notices from the recorder’s office
Unexpected mortgage statements
How Indiana Families Can Protect Themselves
Here at No Worry Retirement, we’ve already seen deed fraud cases impacting families — often during difficult times like illness, dementia, or long-term care transitions.
Smart protections include:
Using a Living Trust
A trust places your home under legal protection.
Deed fraud almost always targets individual owners, not trusts.
Monitoring property records
We teach clients how to check county recorder filings — or we can assist.
Using proper Powers of Attorney
To prevent unauthorized signatures when someone becomes incapacitated.
Reviewing your estate plan regularly
Families in transition (widowhood, dementia, Medicaid issues) are the top targets.
If You Think Something Isn’t Right
The FBI recommends:
- Contacting your county recorder immediately
- Filing a report with local police
- Reporting the scam via tips.fbi.gov
- Freezing further transfers
- Working with an attorney to challenge fraudulent filings
You should also contact your estate planning team — including us — to protect remaining assets.
A Final Thought
Deed fraud is one of the few crimes that can take everything a family has without stepping foot inside the home. A properly structured estate plan — especially a trust — is one of the strongest defenses.
If you want peace of mind, we offer free consultations to review your situation and help protect your family’s home.