Consumer Advocate 

You’ve probably seen TV commercials and news stories about deed fraud, also known as title theft. Because a home is many people’s most valuable asset, it can be an alluring target for scammers.

Deed fraud takes place when a fraudster steals your personal information and illegally takes ownership of your home by filing forged documents with your county government, such as the county auditor’s office or county recorder’s office. The falsified documents transfer property to the fraudsters or to a related company controlled by the fraudsters. These perpetrators then attempt to profit by selling your property or taking loans using the property as collateral.

Scammers often look for unoccupied homes, undeveloped land, and vacation homes – especially those without a mortgage or with large amount of equity.
Here are some signs that you may be a victim of home title fraud:
 

• Eviction proceedings against you begin unexpectedly.
• Your property is listed as for sale without your authorization.
• You own vacant property that has been developed without your consent.
• You receive communication about home equity loans or a mortgage from a company with whom you aren’t doing business.
• You receive official tax or property documents at your home in someone else’s name.
• You see unusual changes in notices you receive regarding property taxes or utilities.

 
To best protect your home, explore whether your county auditor or county recorder has a free alert system that you can enroll in using your email address. If anyone files documents pertaining to your property, the alert system triggers an email notification. If you own unoccupied properties, do your best to physically visit them regularly or have someone watch for any “For Sale” signs or development activities on them.

If you believe you are a victim of deed fraud, AARP recommends that you file a report with your local law enforcement agency, contact the county recorder’s office, and notify your title insurance company. You might also consider contacting private legal counsel and notifying your mortgage company.

In addition to deed fraud, the County Auditors’ Association of Ohio recently issued an alert about a YouTube video falsely claiming that consumers should call their county auditor to get a “Senior Homeowner Tax Review Request” form “as required under a federal law.”

There is no such federal law, and no such form exists for consumers.

According to the auditor’s association, the video uses AI and misleading comments to lend credence to the bogus claims. Downloading and filling out fraudulent forms and clicking on suspicious links could potentially lead to uploading malware to your device, compromising personal information or losing money.

Ohio has legitimate property-tax relief efforts at the state level, such as the existing Homestead Exemption for qualifying homeowners. Also, recent legislation authorizes a one-time, state-funded property tax reduction for eligible recipients in 2027. Your county auditor is a reliable source for additional information about these efforts.

Ohioans should not pay to access any government forms. And, as always, be careful about providing any personal details through unofficial, nongovernmental websites.