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More states add deed theft laws, but most still lack specific protections
EquityProtect said seniors accounted for 44.0% of reported deed theft financial losses, despite making up 19.0% of victims, and cited $1.3 billion in losses from reported real estate fraud from 2019 to 2023.
EquityProtect’s Q2 2026 Property Protection Scorecard found that deed theft legislation continues to expand, but specific state protections still cover only a minority of U.S. homeowners. The company said Virginia, California, and Alabama enacted new deed theft laws during the quarter, bringing the total number of states with dedicated deed theft statutes to 10.
EquityProtect said 29 states still do not have laws specifically addressing deed theft, which can leave property owners to rely on broader fraud and forgery statutes after a fraudulent deed is recorded. The report also emphasized that legal remedies after the fact are often not the same as prevention.
The scorecard cited FBI data showing that more than 58,000 victims reported real estate fraud between 2019 and 2023, with losses exceeding $1.3 billion. For 2024, the FBI received 9,359 real estate fraud complaints totaling $173.6 million in losses, according to the report.
EquityProtect reported that seniors accounted for 44.0% of reported financial losses while representing 19.0% of victims. The company also said victims frequently spend between $50,000 and $150,000 in legal fees to restore ownership after fraudulent deeds are recorded, and that one in three title companies saw at least one seller impersonation fraud attempt in 2024.