RENO, Nev., Oct. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EquityProtect, a leading innovator in real estate fraud prevention and data security, today released its quarterly Property Protection Scorecard, finding that 12 states now have dedicated deed theft laws, up from seven when the Scorecard launched in April. New laws in Alabama and Maryland take effect today, and Arizona’s took effect Sept. 12.

The Q3 Scorecard also finds that the protections homeowners are most often told to rely on share a common limitation. Criminal statutes, county recording alerts and title insurance typically each respond after a fraudster has already committed the financial crime. Twenty-nine states still have no deed-theft-specific law, and bills that once appeared headed for passage in Pennsylvania and South Carolina stalled this year.

Why This Matters
The legislative activity comes as property fraud grows more frequent and more sophisticated:

  • The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received 12,368 real estate fraud complaints in 2025, with $275.1 million in reported losses, up from $173.6 million in 2024.
  • A September 2026 study by the American Land Title Association (ALTA) found that 59% of title firms experienced at least one seller impersonation fraud attempt in 2025, up from 28% in ALTA’s 2024 study. In April 2026 alone, 45% of firms reported an attempt, compared with 19% in the same period two years earlier.
  • Among firms with paid claims that reported amounts, half said their average claim exceeded $100,000, according to ALTA.
  • Targets are widening. ALTA respondents identified properties owned free and clear (68%) and primary residences (25%) among common targets, and nearly six in 10 said manipulated voice or image technology is becoming a common feature of these schemes.
  • To show where that exposure is concentrated, the Scorecard now includes an interactive map breaking down high-risk properties county by county. Homeowners and local reporters can look up their own county at equityprotect.com/scorecard.
  • Seniors account for 44% of reported dollar losses from real estate fraud despite representing 19% of victims, and victims often spend $50,000 to $150,000 in legal fees to restore ownership.

What’s New in the Third Quarter

  • Arizona moves to Tier 1. SB 1479, signed in April and in effect since Sept. 12, makes knowingly recording a false or fraudulent property document a felony, requires notaries to record a thumbprint for deeds and other real property documents, requires photo identification to record a deed in person, and repeals a provision that allowed forged deeds to ripen into valid title after five years.
  • Maryland moves to Tier 1. HB 130, effective Oct. 1, establishes a task force to study deed fraud and recommend further action. The proposed criminal prohibition and Deed Fraud Prevention Grant Fund were removed before the bill became law. 
  • Alabama’s law takes effect. The Alabama Property Protection Act of 2026, effective today, requires seller identity verification in higher-risk transactions and authorizes the Alabama Securities Commission to void fraudulent sales.
  • Verification duties expand. Tennessee’s sworn-affidavit requirement for anyone preparing a deed and Virginia’s identity verification duty for settlement agents both took effect July 1.
  • New Jersey investigators weigh in. In September, New Jersey’s State Commission of Investigation reported that deed fraud is rising in the state and urged lawmakers to adopt expedited quiet-title hearings and stronger identity verification.

Where Legislation Stalled

  • Pennsylvania: HB 1406 passed the House 203-0 in June 2025 and cleared Senate Judiciary 13-0 that September. It has seen no further action in the year since.
  • South Carolina: S. 822 passed the Senate but remained in House Judiciary when the 2025–2026 session ended. It will need to be reintroduced in 2027.
  • Fifteen states remain in study or monitoring phases without a dedicated statute, and Alaska, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, Vermont and Wyoming have taken no legislative action on deed theft.

The Protection Gap
Federal and industry guidance continues to point homeowners toward tools that help after fraud occurs. In a June public service announcement on property owner impersonation, the FBI advised owners to sign up for county recording notifications and review their title insurance coverage. Both are worthwhile, but they often come into play after a document has been recorded, after a sale is completed, or after a loan has been funded. By then, the homeowner may already be facing the consequences. The missing protection is one that requires the owner’s verified authorization before a sale or new loan can proceed.

“Twelve states acting in six months is real progress, and several of the laws taking effect today move identity verification to the start of a transaction,” said Ryan Marshall, CEO of EquityProtect. “Homeowners should understand what each protection actually does. A criminal statute punishes, an alert notifies and insurance reimburses. Each of those matters, and each arrives after someone has already gone after your property. The strongest protection requires the owner’s verified approval before anyone can sell or borrow against the home.”

How EquityProtect Addresses the Gap
A recording alert can tell a homeowner that a fraudulent document was filed. EquityProtect’s Proactive Title Lock is built to intervene earlier. It records legally enforceable documents tied to the property’s parcel number and legal description that require verified owner authorization before protected voluntary sales, refinances or new liens can move forward. EquityProtect also monitors public records, sales and rental listings, and the dark web for signs of fraud. If fraud occurs, the service provides up to $1 million in legal protection per property.

The full Scorecard, including state-by-state breakdowns, county-level property risk, bill tracking, and the five-tier methodology, is available at equityprotect.com/scorecard. Tier assignments reflect laws enacted or bills active through Sept. 30, 2026.

About EquityProtect
As property fraud continues to rise, EquityProtect is at the forefront of real estate fraud prevention and data security with cutting edge technology. The company develops innovative solutions to safeguard property owners and organizations from unauthorized data modifications and fraud, ensuring the integrity and security of real estate transactions worldwide. Learn more at equityprotect.com.

About the Property Protection Scorecard
The EquityProtect Property Protection Scorecard is a quarterly publication tracking the legislative status of deed theft and property title fraud protections across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each edition classifies jurisdictions on a five-tier framework and documents developments in enacted law, pending legislation, alert infrastructure, and the technology gap that legislation alone cannot close. The Scorecard is updated quarterly and is available to journalists, policymakers, county recorders, and industry professionals at equityprotect.com/scorecard. 

Press Contact
Jacob Gaffney
Gaffney Austin
817-471-7627
jacob@gaffneyaustin.com


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