Rep. Cleaver, County Executive White Sound the Alarm on Deed Fraud Reported in Kansas City and Jackson County, Highlight Ways Missourians Can Protect Their Homes

September 26, 2022
Press Release

(Kansas City, MO) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. are sounding the alarm on scams being perpetrated against property owners involving the legal title to their homes, and working to educate victims of actions they should take if they detect criminal activity. Authorities continue to take concerning reports of fraud where forged, false and/or fraudulently induced deeds are recorded against properties in Jackson County without the knowledge or consent of the owner.

“With a troubling number of cases of home title fraud in Jackson County, it’s important that we raise the public’s awareness and help to protect potentially vulnerable home and property owners from unknowingly becoming a victim,” said Congressman Cleaver. “Right now, there are folks in Jackson County who are sitting in their homes, watching their television or reading the paper, who are unaware that a scam artist has already illegally transferred ownership of their home to another individual or a made-up business. It is my hope that in taking this step to educate the public on deed fraud occurring in the area that we can help individuals not only know the warning signs, but the immediate actions to take to protect themselves and prevent these criminal exploits from continuing within our community. Moving forward, I intend to introduce federal legislation in the coming days that will help federal and local law enforcement across the country crack down on these despicable scams, but it’s important to sound the alarm so families can protect themselves today.”

“I would like to commend Congressman Cleaver for stepping up to protect property owners in Jackson County, especially our most vulnerable residents. Sadly, there are criminals in our community and across the nation who are willing to deceive, lie and steal from our residents by filing false deeds without the actual property owner’s knowledge or approval,” said Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. “I look forward to learning more about Congressman Cleaver’s legislation that will help homeowners from being taken advantage of in this terrible way. In the meantime, I urge everyone to spread the word about this dangerous scam and to please contact law enforcement if you think you, or someone you know, may have been a victim.”

Document Recording in Jackson County

Pursuant to State law, the Jackson County Recorder’s Office, upon payment of the proper fees and taxes, must accept and record any document that conforms to legal requirements. In the case of a deed, the recording office will typically ensure that the deed is properly acknowledged by a notary and is compliant with recording requirements set forth by law. 

The County Recorder is not responsible for verifying the validity, authenticity or legitimacy of the document that is recorded. If the document meets recording requirements, and the proper fees are submitted, the County Recorder is obligated to and will record the document. 

Fraudsters continue to exploit the lack of true safeguards or deterrents against recording illegitimate deeds on property. Victims who are most targeted include the elderly, low-income minority homeowners, or those with vacant or already-distressed properties. 

Common Scams Involving Fraudulent Deeds

Forgery: A fraudster may forge a homeowner’s name on a deed to a home. The deed is acknowledged and signed by a notary public (either legitimately based on false identification or illegitimately), and then recorded, effectively transferring the property to the scammer without the knowledge of the true homeowner. 

Misrepresentation/Coercion: A criminal might trick or pressure a homeowner into signing a deed for the home, thus transferring the property to the fraudster or another when the deed is recorded. The homeowner is unaware that the document they are signing is a grant deed or may be misled into believing the documents to be signed are of no consequence or are “just a bunch of legalese” and not important. 

In either case, the fraudster seeks to effectively transfer the property away from the true owner to sell or extract equity from the property. You may be a victim without knowing.  

Warning Signs of Deed Fraud

When you receive notification or become aware of: 

  1. A recorded document on your property where you never signed the document, and your signature was forged; 
  2. A recorded document on your property where ownership in your property, or a portion thereof, was transferred or sold to another party without your knowledge; 
  3. A recorded document on your property where the signer of the document was deceased at the time of execution of the document; 
  4. A loan was taken out on your property without your knowledge; and 
  5. Changes or alterations were made to a recorded document after you signed it. 

Also, if you: 

  1. Stop receiving your property tax bill or notices; 
  2. Receive a Notice of Default or Notice of Trustee's Sale when you own your home outright (free and clear of a mortgage loan), or when you have a mortgage and you are not delinquent on your loan payments; 
  3. Receive loan documents in the mail for a loan that was obtained without your knowledge; and/or 
  4. Receive real estate documents in the mail for a transaction on your property that was conducted without your knowledge.

Check Public Records

Residents can verify deed information through the Jackson County Recorder of Deeds website or may consult the Kansas City, MO parcel viewer here, where applicable. 

If You Have Been a Victim of Fraudulent Deed Activity, Take Immediate Action

Victims should immediately gather and collect all information, documents, and other evidence and report the forged and/or fraudulent deed to: 

  1. Jackson County, MO Sheriff’s Office and/or the Kansas City, MO Police Department, if applicable
  2. Jackson County, MO Prosecutor’s Office 
  3. Jackson County, MO Recorder of Deeds (the Jackson County Office of the Recorder of Deeds does not have the authority to remove fraudulently recorded documents from the system)

Staying up to date about the status of property titles and records and taking immediate action if you become a victim will help stop this fraud from happening in our community.

Federal Legislation to Combat Deed Fraud

Congressman Cleaver has been working with federal, state, and local law enforcement to seek ways in which federal legislation can help provide the resources needed for law enforcement to identify and combat deed fraud, increase criminal penalties for perpetrators, and create remedies for victims. Cleaver intends to introduce the legislation in the coming days.

 

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus.