Rhode Island Bill To Criminalize Deed Theft Introduced

PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island House Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy introduced legislation to criminalize deed theft, according to a media release.

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

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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 . While still rare, it has become enough of a problem that the FBI has warned New Englanders of a 'steady uptick' in the fraud, and AARP has listed it as one of its legislative priorities, since the scam tends to target older property owners."

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The bill would give municipal officials the power to temporarily delay or report a suspicious document to the law, or to notify a notary public to acknowledge or verify a suspicious document, according to the release.

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“These scams, which often prey upon older homeowners, are becoming increasingly more common,” Kennedy, D-Hopkinton, 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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