Jordan Pandy

In May, Dr. Daniel Kenigsberg returned to his property in Fairfield, Connecticut, to discover an under-construction $1.5 million, 4,000-square-foot house. The issue? As far as he knew, he still owned the land.

Kenigsberg and the LLC building the house on the formerly vacant property said they're both victims of title fraud. Add to the list William Gordon, who said the Tucson, Arizona land he planned to build his retirement home on was sold without his knowledge.

In both instances, the red flags were there but went unnoticed. Kenigsberg's family trust name was misspelled on a deed transferring ownership to him decades ago — which should have been flagged during the buying process, and could have thwarted the fraudulent sale in 2022. Gordon's social security number and mailing address were incorrect on his congratulatory note of sale.

Fraudulent sales like these are on the rise. According to a report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Boston division, 11,578 people nationwide reported losses of $350,328,166 due to real-estate-related scams, including title fraud, in 2021 — up 64% from 2020.

Home title theft, or seller-impersonation fraud — a crime where someone steals a homeowner's identity to sell or take ownership of a property — leaves property owners grasping for answers and without many options for quick resolution. Kenigsberg filed a lawsuit against the LLC that purchased his land seeking up to $2 million, only to learn they too are claiming fraud. Gordon has splashed out thousands just to recoup his property from a fraudulent seller who has yet to be identified.