Local attorney warns of rising title and escrow fraud; REFAT offers resources

Jennifer Felton told attendees that real estate fraud — including fake deeds, phony reconveyances and illicit transfers — has become more frequent and that the county recorder’s ministerial recording process can make properties vulnerable.

"People's houses are getting stolen, right? Bad guys are transferring title out from under the owners," Felton said, describing a rise in identity- and title-related scams that often target seniors or properties with no mortgage. She said fraudsters can record documents that appear valid to the county recorder and that neighbors or vigilant family members often detect suspicious activity.

Felton described REFAT (Real Estate Fraud Advocacy Team), a long-standing Ventura County collaboration among the Ventura County Coastal Association of Realtors, the District Attorney’s Office and the County Recorder, as a local resource that provides education, warnings and fraud mitigation efforts. She urged homeowners — particularly older owners and those with vacant property — to monitor county-record activity and consider fraud-alert services.

The presenter said county recorders operate a ministerial function and will record documents that meet technical criteria (signature, notary, legal description), which makes some fraud documents difficult for recorders to detect. She recommended immediate contact with local authorities and REFAT if suspicious recordings appear on title.

Felton urged attendees to use local education and fraud-prevention resources and reiterated that quick community attention can stop fraudulent sales; she said her office fields multiple title-fraud inquiries monthly.