PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The Arizona Department of Real Estate rolled out a new program to combat deed fraud. The system, called the Early Real Estate Sales Alert System, or ERAS, alerts property owners before a real estate transaction involving their property is finalized and recorded.
Deed fraud happens when someone illegally transfers a property title into their name using forged documents or other fraudulent means.
Rising number of complaints
Since 2024, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office has received nearly 400 complaints about real estate fraud, resulting in about 40 active criminal investigations.
A large number of those involve deed fraud. Scammers usually target vacant homes, vacation properties, or homes belonging to elderly or deceased owners.
A victim becomes an advocate
Debi Gotlieb, a real estate agent, became a victim of deed fraud involving her father’s Scottsdale home,…
Review your monthly bank statements and credit card bills line-by-line to spot small “tester” transactions of R5 or R10, which fraudsters use to verify if a stolen card is still active.