HOUSTON – A home can represent decades of work. It can provide stability, hold a family’s memories and become something parents and grandparents hope to pass down.
For Keata Wade’s family, that home sits on Teton Street. Her grandmother bought it intending for it to remain in the family. She lived there until she died, and Wade’s father continued living there until his death.
Now, people the family does not know are living inside it.
“I’m here because me and our family had our family home stolen out from under us by someone we have never met,” Wade said.
Wade said her family learned about the alleged fraud after the Harris County Attorney’s Office contacted them earlier this year.
“Earlier this year, we were contacted by an attorney in this office who informed us that they were investigating fraud that included the home of my grandmother who has been deceased for several years,” Wade said. “Apparently the people who did this forged my grandmother’s signature and transferred the title to someone who was a fictional person made up for this fraud.”
Wade said the property was later transferred to a real person whom investigators believe is connected to a larger fraud network.
“Today, people we do not know are living in the family house that rightfully belongs to my family,” Wade said.
TWO LAWSUITS ALLEGE AT LEAST 10 HOMES WERE STOLEN
Harris County Attorney Abbie Kamin announced two civil lawsuits against nine people accused of working together to fraudulently claim properties across Harris County.
Kamin said investigators have identified at least 10 homes connected to the lawsuits. County officials said the rightful owners no longer have access to about seven of those properties, each valued between $100,000 and $250,000.
The allegations include forged signatures, fabricated identities and fraudulent notarizations. Kamin said the defendants allegedly passed deeds among themselves before attempting to sell homes they did not own to unsuspecting buyers.
“They are tricking notaries into signing paperwork, faking identities on documents, and passing forged deeds back and forth to try and cover their tracks,” Kamin said. “Then they try to sell these homes that weren’t theirs for a profit to unsuspecting home buyers.”
County officials said some notaries were also deceived. In certain cases, scammers allegedly had unrelated documents notarized, removed the notarized acknowledgment page and attached it to a fraudulent deed before filing it with the county clerk.
The lawsuits seek to return the properties to their rightful owners. The county is also seeking civil penalties where appropriate.
Kamin emphasized that the allegations represent more than fraudulent paperwork.
“And while we talk about this and say things like forged paperwork or fraudulent deeds, I wanna be very clear,” Kamin said. “These aren’t just abstract DTPA violations under state law. These are people’s homes, their livelihood, their generational wealth that they have worked hard to pass on to their children.”
FAMILIES ALLEGEDLY TARGETED AFTER LOVED ONES DIED
Investigators found cases in which a deceased homeowner’s identity was allegedly used to transfer property before the person’s heirs knew what had happened.
Some families were still grieving when the alleged theft occurred. Others reportedly discovered strangers living at a relative’s property.
Wade said the alleged theft of her family’s Teton Street home happened while she was dealing with the deaths of both parents.
“It was really tough, honestly, because not just grieving my father, my mother also passed away within that time,” Wade said. “So two years later, I lost my mother. So I’m grieving both my parents, and then I have to deal with, you know, this as well.”
Wade said she has spent years trying to find a way to recover the property.
“This home is property my grandmother purchased to remain in my family for years and for us to pass on for generations to come,” Wade said. “My grandmother lived in this home until she passed away, and my father continued to live in that home until he passed away as well.”
Kamin said homeownership is one of the primary ways families build stability and generational wealth.
“It is hard to believe someone could be brazen enough to literally steal a person’s home,” Kamin said. “But we are seeing it happen right here in Harris County to people who did nothing wrong except own property that someone else decided to take.”
WHY RECOVERING A STOLEN HOME CAN BE COMPLICATED
Getting a property back becomes more complicated when someone has purchased or rented the home without knowing its deed was fraudulent.
Kamin said those buyers and renters may also be victims because they believed they were entering a legitimate transaction. Some have cooperated with county investigators, while others have not.
In Wade’s case, Kamin said a person living at the Teton Street property has not been willing to work with the county.
“There are some that are, and those are really complicated because these are also victims that want to do the right thing,” Kamin said.
The competing claims can require the County Attorney’s Office to work with everyone involved to reach a resolution. Kamin said one previous deed fraud case ended with a financial settlement.
In the two new lawsuits, however, the county is seeking the return of the properties.
“In these cases in particular, what we are seeking is the return of these homes to their rightful owners,” Kamin said.
COUNTY ATTORNEY WARNS NO PROPERTY OWNER IS IMMUNE
Although investigators have seen cases involving senior citizens and families whose relatives recently died, Kamin cautioned that deed fraud is occurring across communities and socioeconomic backgrounds.
She said homeowners should not assume they are protected simply because their circumstances differ from the examples included in the lawsuits.
Kamin said the latest investigations began after two homeowners contacted her office. As investigators traced the deed histories of those properties, they repeatedly encountered some of the same names, forged signatures and questionable notarizations.
The investigation ultimately uncovered additional properties and potential victims.
“We can’t do these types of cases without the public coming forward,” Kamin said. “We need those complaints.”
Kamin said the lawsuits are part of a broader effort to crack down on deed fraud. She said the county is working with other departments to use technology, implement recently approved laws and improve systems that could alert property owners to suspicious activity.
She also said additional protections are needed at the state level.
HOW TO CHECK YOUR PROPERTY FOR SUSPICIOUS FILINGS
Kamin recommends that homeowners review their property records at least once a year.
“Sometimes it happens without people knowing, but that’s why we’re reiterating what to check for,” Kamin said. “Making sure that you are, I would say at least annually going online, walking through the steps to check the accuracy of documents to see if anything new or suspicious has been filed pertaining to your property.”
Checking a property requires two websites:
1. Go to HCAD.org and select “Property Search.”
2. Enter the property’s address.
3. Find the property’s legal description, including its lot number.
4. Go to the Harris County Clerk’s website at CClerk.HCTX.net and select “Search Records.”
5. Enter the property’s legal description to review deeds and other filed documents.
6. Look for unfamiliar names, transfers, deeds or other filings you did not authorize.
Kamin also recommends keeping wills accurate and updated, filing them with the probate court and ensuring relatives understand the property owner’s intentions.
WARNING SIGNS FOR HOMEBUYERS AND RENTERS
Deed fraud can also affect people who unknowingly purchase or rent a stolen property.
County officials recommend using a reputable title company and a licensed real estate agent when purchasing a home. A legitimate title search can help verify the seller’s ownership and reveal problems before a transaction is completed.
Potential warning signs include:
A seller who pressures you to sign paperwork quickly
A cash-only or under-the-table transaction
A deal that appears too good to be true
A seller whose ownership cannot be verified
Requests for money before documents have been reviewed
Pressure to avoid a licensed agent or reputable title company
“If someone’s just kind of under the table trying to do a sale to you in cash, they’re pushing it through really quickly or the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is,” Kamin said.
HOW TO REPORT SUSPECTED DEED FRAUD
Anyone who finds a suspicious document or believes a property has been fraudulently transferred can report it to the Harris County Attorney’s Office.
Visit CAO.HarrisCountyTX.gov and select the “Stay Scam Free” tab at the top of the page. The site also provides consumer protection information and additional guidance.
“So if you believe this has happened to you or to a family member, please reach out to my office,” Kamin said. “You can report it through our website, CAO.HarrisCountyTX.gov.”
Kamin said reports from homeowners can help investigators identify other properties, victims and people allegedly involved in the same network.
“It matters, these reports matter,” Kamin said. “Coming to our office and filing these complaints matters.”
The two recently filed cases are civil lawsuits. Kamin said no criminal charges had been filed in connection with these specific cases as of Wednesday, though some people allegedly involved in similar activity have previously faced criminal charges. Her office is coordinating with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and law enforcement agencies.
For Wade, she said the goal is to return the Teton Street home her grandmother intended to remain in the family.
“These people are stealing this opportunity from my family as well as other families,” Wade said.
COUNTIES THAT HAVE NOTIFICATION SERVICES
At least 4 neighboring counties have notification services set up for homeowners:
Those free services allow homeowners to sign up for alerts. Then, if a document that contain your name, business name, or trust name are recorded in that county’s public records, you’ll get a notification.
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