Stay Ahead of Deed Theft with ACRIS Alerts

Deed theft is a crime where fraudsters take ownership of someone’s property without their knowledge or consent. Deed thieves often target older homeowners or those in financial trouble, disproportionately impacting marginalized communities in New York City. Losing your home to deed theft can mean millions of dollars in lost equity, preventing families from building generational wealth. Luckily, New York City and civil legal service providers like Build Up Justice NYC have worked to prevent this crime.

One easy way you can stay ahead of deed thieves is by signing up for free ACRIS alerts. This publicly available tool will notify you if there is a new document recorded against your property—such as a contract of sale, deed, memorandum of lease, or mortgage. Scammers will often file fake versions of these documents in their effort to claim that they own a home when they don’t. If you see a document connected to your home that is unfamiliar to you, you can submit a fraud notice quickly to prevent the risk of deed theft down the line.

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Disclaimer: This advice is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. The information provided here does not constitute an attorney-client relationship.