The term deed or title theft can be deceiving. With the circulation of inaccurate information, homeowners may believe that thieves can steal title to their home simply by forging a deed and recording it in the county records. Homeowners may also believe that the deed to their home can be stolen and pledged as collateral to obtain a loan and strip all the equity from the home without the true homeowner's knowledge.
Recently, companies have formed a new type of service which offers deed monitoring services where they purport to regularly check the county records to identify any fraudulent activity involving the title to a homeowner's property.
The companies describe a very rare criminal act. Through an elaborate and carefully worded marketing campaign, these companies prey on the fear that someone is going to "steal" a homeowner's deed or title to their home.
These providers charge a monthly or annual service fee and simply notify the homeowner if anything pops up. This all occurs AFTER someone has recorded a forged deed.
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