The Maryland Insurance Administration is encouraging property owners to periodically check their property records for unauthorized activity as part of a new consumer advisory about deed and title fraud.
The agency issued the advisory on Tuesday, October 13, warning that deed fraud occurs when someone illegally transfers ownership of a property without the owner’s consent.
According to the MIA, criminals may forge signatures, steal identities, fake notarizations or create fraudulent documents to make a transfer appear legitimate. Undetected deed fraud can cause significant problems when an owner attempts to sell, refinance or make other changes involving the property.
The agency also cautioned consumers about companies that sell deed fraud monitoring services. While deed fraud is a legitimate risk, the MIA said these monitoring services are not insurance and cannot prevent someone from filing a fraudulent deed or other document.
Instead, the services generally monitor public property records and alert homeowners after a change occurs. If that change is fraudulent, the property owner would still need to take steps to correct the records.
The MIA says Maryland property owners can monitor their land records for free through MDLandRec.net. The website allows users to search land records, identify new activity and view documents associated with a property.
Officials also recommend regularly checking credit reports for suspicious activity and monitoring bills for unexpected changes, including unfamiliar loans or bills that suddenly stop arriving. Consumers who believe their identity has been fraudulently used can also seek assistance through IdentityTheft.gov.
Homeowners who suspect deed fraud should contact the Clerk’s Office in the county where the property is located to obtain copies of the recorded deed and other land records. The MIA also recommends contacting local law enforcement and notifying the property’s mortgage lender, if applicable.
Those with an owner’s title insurance policy should contact their title insurance company. Depending on the circumstances, suspected fraud can also be reported to the Maryland Insurance Administration, Maryland Office of Financial Regulation, Maryland Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division or FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.
According to the MIA, people who may be particularly vulnerable include elderly homeowners, owners of vacant properties who do not regularly monitor mail at the property and those who rarely check their property records.
Maryland is also preparing to convene a Task Force to Study Deed Fraud before the end of 2026. The task force will examine how frequently deed fraud occurs in Maryland, how other states address the issue and its economic impact on victims.
The task force is scheduled to submit findings and recommendations for preventing, detecting and combating deed fraud to the Maryland General Assembly by July 1, 2028.
