It can be scary if one’s title is stolen by transferring the title without consent. This is known as home title theft and is categorized under identity theft. Home title theft, or deed theft, is done by surreptitiously stealing a homeowner’s personal and private information. Scammers usually target properties with high equity or those belonging to vulnerable groups, such as seniors. Defending oneself and preventing home title theft by following simple tips is possible.

Here are a few useful tips to follow:

1. Pay attention to incoming mails
Scammers often change the address on bills and other important mail to hide their crime. This change-of-address scam buys more time to make more money on the property. Therefore, one might stop receiving important mail and bills. So monitor bills received through postal mail as well as email.

2. Monitor credit reports to detect identity theft
Reviewing one’s credit reports can help detect suspicious activities such as unauthorized changes to pre-existing accounts or opening new accounts by stealing identities. One can take advantage of the annual free credit report that shows the credit score across all three top credit reporting agencies.

3. Check the status of the property deed
It is recommended to check the home title deed regularly. This helps ensure that scammers are not attempting to grab ownership rights to one’s home. It is easy to check the county recorder’s office or local registries for property deeds and land records. One can apply to set up notifications at the registry to get alerts if any changes are made to the deed.

4. Take necessary precautions to protect personal information.
One can take several measures to safeguard their personal information from being stolen by scammers. Here are a few ways to do so:

• Always shred or destroy unwanted documents such as bank statements, bills, or address labels on deliveries that have personal information.
• Never carry around a birth certificate or social security card.
• Refrain from sharing personal information online or through phone calls with unknown people.