FBI and Broward appraiser warn homeowners about fraud, World Cup security
FBI Miami and Marty Kiar warned Broward homeowners about fake deeds and title fraud as Kiar’s office reviews about 100 properties and 40 suspects.
Broward County homeowners are being warned to watch their deed and title records closely as the FBI and Property Appraiser Marty Kiar say Kiar’s office is reviewing about 100 properties and about 40 suspects in possible fraud cases.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles discussed recent fraud schemes with Kiar on the Broward County Property Appraiser’s “Time to Kiar” podcast, along with ways people can protect themselves and their loved ones. FBI Miami said the conversation focused on schemes tied to property records and deeds, including the kind of fraud in which criminals file fake deeds to transfer ownership and then try to mortgage, sell or rent the property.
Kiar’s office has spent years emphasizing title-fraud prevention in Broward, where officials have described the problem as an attempt to use the court system to steal homes. The property appraiser’s office promotes its free Owner Alert program, which notifies homeowners when a document is received that changes the ownership of a property, and a separate free title-fraud prevention effort aimed at catching suspicious changes before a homeowner is blindsided by a fraudulent filing.
The numbers Kiar has cited show why the issue stays in focus locally. About 40 suspects are under investigation by his office, and about 100 properties are being examined for possible fraud. That makes the warning especially relevant in Broward neighborhoods where owners may not monitor county records regularly, including older homeowners who are often the easiest targets for deed scams and other paper-based thefts.
Skiles also used the podcast to talk about South Florida’s World Cup security effort. FBI Miami said the operation relied on a high degree of cooperation and integration among local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, and that 145 drones were seized in South Florida during the effort to keep venues safe throughout the tournament.
Kiar publicly tied his office’s anti-fraud work to the same basic message: homeowners cannot assume a deed, title or tax-related document is legitimate just because it is recorded. In Broward, the safest protection remains the same one the appraiser’s office keeps pushing, a free alert system, regular review of property records and fast attention to any change in ownership paperwork.
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