Rhode Island House Passes Bill To Criminalize Deed Theft

PROVIDENCE, RI — The Rhode Island House passed a bill to criminalize deed theft.

Deed theft is an "increasingly common practice that bold scammers use to actually steal homes and real estate," according to a media release from the general assembly.

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"Deed theft typically involves forged documents, such as a quit claim deed, to record a phony transfer of property ownership," the release said. "Scammers will then seek to sell either the stolen vacant land or home or even rent it to turn a profit, forcing the real owners to head to court to reclaim their property."

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The bill, introduced by House Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy, would establish the criminal offense of real estate title fraud and create penalties for violations, according to the release.

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"Additionally, it would allow municipalities to refuse to record 'suspicious documents' from persons who are not trusted submitters," the release said.

“These scams, which often prey upon older homeowners, are becoming increasingly more common,” Kennedy, D-Hopkinton and Westerly, said in the release.

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“It’s a particular risk to those who own unoccupied property and it can be a mess to untangle, with complicated and lengthy court hearings," Kennedy said. "This legislation would create a process to validate a person’s identity when he or she files a title deed and other real estate and personal property records.”

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