Three additional states enacted deed theft laws since the Scorecard’s launch, but 29 states still lack dedicated protections despite more than $1.3 billion in reported real estate fraud losses
RENO, Nev., July 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EquityProtect, a leading innovator in real estate fraud prevention and data security, today released the second edition of its quarterly Property Protection Scorecard, finding that momentum behind deed theft legislation continued to build during the second quarter of 2026 while the majority of U.S. homeowners remain without meaningful statutory protections.
The report found that Virginia, California and Alabama enacted new deed theft laws during the quarter, bringing the total number of states with dedicated statutes to 10. Even with that progress, 29 states still lack a deed-theft-specific law, leaving millions of property owners dependent on traditional fraud and forgery statutes after a fraudulent deed has already been recorded.
Why This Matters
The legislative progress comes as real estate fraud continues to inflict significant financial harm across the country. According to FBI data and EquityProtect’s research:
- More than 58,000 victims reported real estate fraud between 2019 and 2023, representing more than $1.3 billion in losses.
- FBI data shows 9,359 complaints and $173.6 million in losses during 2024 alone.
- Seniors account for 44% of all reported dollar losses despite representing only 19% of victims.
- Victims often spend $50,000 to $150,000 in legal fees attempting to restore ownership after a fraudulent deed is recorded.
- One in three title companies experienced at least one seller impersonation fraud attempt in 2024.
What’s New in the Second Quarter
The latest Scorecard documents several significant legislative developments:
- Alabama enacted the Property Protection Act of 2026, one of the nation’s most comprehensive deed fraud laws.
- Virginia established statutory seller identity verification requirements for settlement agents while strengthening notary safeguards.
- California confirmed enactment of SB 255, requiring statewide recorder notification by 2027.
- Maryland adopted criminal penalties for fraudulent conveyances and established a Deed Fraud Prevention Grant Fund.
- Multiple states shifted toward preventative legislation emphasizing identity verification and suspicious filing review before recording.
The Protection Gap Remains
Despite growing legislative attention, the Scorecard concludes that stronger criminal penalties alone do not stop deed theft. County recorders process nearly 300,000 documents every day and generally must record documents that satisfy statutory filing requirements. They are not responsible for verifying identities in real time, allowing forged deeds to be recorded before fraud is discovered.
Fifteen states remain in study or monitoring phases without dedicated criminal statutes, while Alaska, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, Vermont and Wyoming have taken no legislative action on deed theft.
Free property alert programs also provide only after-the-fact notification. They can tell homeowners a document has been recorded, but they cannot prevent a fraudulent filing.
“The good news is that more states are taking deed theft seriously, and this quarter proves it,” said Ryan Marshall, CEO of EquityProtect. “But our findings reinforce a critical truth: Legislation is an important step, but it is not protection. Most laws punish deed theft after it happens, they do not prevent it. Property owners need preventative safeguards, not just legal remedies after the damage is done.”
How EquityProtect Addresses the Gap
EquityProtect says its patented Proactive Title Lock Technology is designed to prevent unauthorized institutional transactions before they are recorded by:
- Recording a legal encumbrance on the property’s title
- Requiring bank-grade multi-factor authentication from the verified owner before ownership changes are authorized
- Monitoring public records, real estate sales platforms, rental sites and the dark web for fraud indicators
- Providing up to $1 million in legal protection per property ($3 million for portfolio holders) if fraud occurs despite all protections
The full Scorecard, including state-by-state breakdowns, bill tracking, and the five-tier methodology, is available at equityprotect.com/scorecard.
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
