Deed Thieves Swarm New York As Complaints Rocket 240 Percent

New York homeowners and housing advocates say they are staring down a sudden wave of alleged deed theft that has longtime owners, including many seniors, scrambling to hold on to their homes. The spike in cases is putting fresh pressure on prosecutors and city officials to shut down scammers who use forged paperwork and phony short-sale deals to walk off with property titles. State complaints jumped 240% in two years Data obtained by local investigators shows that complaints to the New York Attorney General's Office climbed 240% between 2023 and 2025, a more-than-threefold jump that observers say points to a...