Good article from WSJ about deed fraud on the rise. Seems some folks think buying the house is too much trouble, so they're forging the documents and selling it without buyers knowing it.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/latest-cyberthreat-ste...

Cities mentioned: New York City (Manhattan), Chicago and Detroit. 

Anyone have ideas on how to limit risk or prevent this from happening?

Old news in Miami, they're fraud trend setters here.

@Account Closed   Very OLD news I had this happen to me in the middle 80's and this has probably happened since the invention of the deed... and the invention of the statues of fraud and forgery.. this is why Forgery is a covered event with your title insurance policies.. Ask me how I know !

@Wayne Brooks @Jay Hinrichs I think the key takeaway is "on the rise" raising risks to investors, particularly, novice investors. 

@Account Closed   if you knew the half of it !!!  this is something we dont' want to talk about on a public forum.. the Nigerian scammers and other off shore folks we will start to ruin our day.

I now will not send wire instructions without following up with a phone call to the title company to run through the account numbers for accuracy as scammers are rerouting title company wires. its  HUGE deal and whats going to happen is everything is going to go back to the stone age.. IE talk on the freaking phone

@Jay Hinrichs considering the state of affairs, I'd prefer things go back to the stone age. At the very least, give owners the option of removing sensitive info offline from public view.

@Account Closed   Issue is our rule of law and public records not going to change that.

Originally posted by @Jay Hinrichs :

@Account Closed   Very OLD news I had this happen to me in the middle 80's and this has probably happened since the invention of the deed... and the invention of the statues of fraud and forgery.. this is why Forgery is a covered event with your title insurance policies.. Ask me how I know !

@Jay Hinrichs  New to Bigger Pockets and REI. I am considering buying an investment property, but I have read multiple stories about deed fraud. I understand that title insurance will cover title issues until my purchase date, but I am concerned about recorded fraudulent deeds that purport to transfer away my investment property at a later date. I have seen many posts here about corrective action after deed fraud is discovered (file a quiet title lawsuit), and about deed fraud at or prior to the purchase (buy title insurance and use a reputable title & closing company), but I haven't found much information about preventing deed fraud after a property is purchased. How do you deal with this risk, especially for an out-of-state investment property?

Originally posted by @Pat Turiyam :

Originally posted by @Jay Hinrichs:

@Account Closed   Very OLD news I had this happen to me in the middle 80's and this has probably happened since the invention of the deed... and the invention of the statues of fraud and forgery.. this is why Forgery is a covered event with your title insurance policies.. Ask me how I know !

@Jay Hinrichs  New to Bigger Pockets and REI. I am considering buying an investment property, but I have read multiple stories about deed fraud. I understand that title insurance will cover title issues until my purchase date, but I am concerned about recorded fraudulent deeds that purport to transfer away my investment property at a later date. I have seen many posts here about corrective action after deed fraud is discovered (file a quiet title lawsuit), and about deed fraud at or prior to the purchase (buy title insurance and use a reputable title & closing company), but I haven't found much information about preventing deed fraud after a property is purchased. How do you deal with this risk, especially for an out-of-state investment property?

there is no defense I am aware of  other than 97% of real estate transactions people check title and get title insurance.

@Jay Hinrichs  Thanks for your response. My question might not have been clearly worded. Once I buy an investment property (and check title & get owner's title insurance at the time of the purchase), what can I do to prevent a scammer from subsequently recording a forged deed, including forging my signature (etc.), that tries to transfer away ownership of my property?

Originally posted by @Pat Turiyam :

@Jay Hinrichs  Thanks for your response. My question might not have been clearly worded. Once I buy an investment property (and check title & get owner's title insurance at the time of the purchase), what can I do to prevent a scammer from subsequently recording a forged deed, including forging my signature (etc.), that tries to transfer away ownership of my property?

you can do nothing..  if this happens you have to file criminal charges.. simple as that.. property is not going anywhere.. 

but we should not really talk about this on social media don't want to give the Evil Doers any ideas.

@Jay Hinrichs Thanks