PHOENIX -- Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich warns Arizonans about a disturbing trend over the past couple of years involving deed fraud. Since January of 2021, the Attorney General's Office (AGO) has received 65 complaints from homeowners, claiming their home was no longer in their name after someone fraudulently forged their signature on a warranty deed and filed it with the county recorder. In many cases, the criminal quickly sold the home and took off with the money.
Criminal investigators with the AGO say homeowners who live in their homes and carry a mortgage are less likely to experience deed fraud. The crime is most common in houses that are empty, rentals owned by corporations or people who live out of state, or homes where someone has recently passed away.
“For many Arizonans, stealing their house is the same as their life savings,” said Attorney General Mark Brnovich. “Homeowners should regularly monitor the status of their property with the county to quickly detect any fraudulent or unlawful activity.”
AGTV spoke with Don Carroll, a Special Investigator at the Arizona Attorney General's Office about the kinds of cases he's working on.
Carroll advises homeowners to periodically check the county recorder and the county assessor's websites to ensure their information is accurate.
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