Tyree Burno, 42, has been arrested and charged with assuming ownership of homes located in West Oak Lane, Logan, Frankford, Cedar Brook, and Mt. Airy neighborhoods, either in his own name or using a series of fake names. Such fraud is fueled by a white-hot real estate market, said Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Esack, with the office’s Economic Crimes unit. “Oftentimes, the neighborhoods targeted are ones seen as up-and-coming, where gentrification is prevalent,” she said. The victims, often the elderly, may not have the financial means to fight a protracted legal battle to get back what is legally theirs, continued Esack. Deed theft is a recurring problem in Philadelphia. In March, five people were charged for taking 10 homes, and in 2019 city officials unveiled a tool called Fraud Guard to crack down on the thefts. City officials continue to urge homeowners to sign up for the program, which alerts you when a document is recorded with your name on it. Law enforcement first learned of the Burno case when a 71-year-old woman complained that her home had been improperly sold in 2019. From there the case grew, with officials eventually charging him with more than 80 counts of theft and 42 counts of forgery for the taking of 14 homes and two lots, as well as leasing two buildings unlawfully and forging four checks . . . --174.65.x.xxx

Easier to do than most would think.We had a guy do that here a couple times in a local county.I think statewide but at least in one county the seller has to pay $10 to the county who then mails a letter to the seller after the fact informing them there house was sold,moneygrab as far as i am concerned --72.231.xxx.xxx

This has been going on in Philadelphia area for probably 20 years. I believe the first go round was discovered when folks went to assisted living and didn't have close relatives. One of the employees sold the names to a scammer and by the time the folks were released to go home months later someone else was living in their house. --72.70.xxx.xxx

Death penalty. --108.24.xx.xx

Fake deed after our neighbor died was filed by the squatters who took over his empty house. Took forever to convince the cops to arrest the squatters and I finally got a copy of the fake paperwork when our local news station did an interview with the squatter head gal and he took a PICTURE of the fake paperwork with the Lawyer's signature and ID. We traced her down, found out she was a friend of the squatter and had been 'let go' by the law firm she was working for. Worked out eventually thanks to the news guy's picture of the paper work and me getting in touch with the 'next of kin' in another state so she could file the proper claim. Happens all the time. Abandoned house, squatters, nobody keeps track of who lives there especially if the deceased had no relatives. --72.207.xx.xxx

Had to take the jerk to court but got it back. --67.22.x.xx

There are advertisers on the radio who advertise deed monitoring services to combat title fraud. I was kind of surprised to hear the commercials, because I didn't think it was that common of a thing. But at the same time, if you wanted to hire a service, it would be nice to hire one that could somehow lock the title, or prevent the transaction from happening, versus telling you, "Oh, hey, this thing has already happened... are you aware?" --137.118.xx.xxx

--108.28.xx.xxx

If your county does not have one, urge the powers that be to create one, and emphasize that the program should cover ALL owned properties, not just your homestead. --108.2.xx.xxx

Real estate folks like most of us should be checking the records routinely. It would be an after the fact type heads up but you'd know. Of course, we probably aren't prime targets of these schemes. --72.70.xxx.xxx

These characters are getting bolder and more defiant. The criminal mindset is downright disturbing. --174.192.x.xxx

If we as a nation, we hold property rights with high regard - this person should get 30 years for each of the 14 houses....the length of a typical mortgage --24.101.xxx.xxx