PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Property fraud has exploded in Palm Beach County, with cases jumping from just four prosecutions in 2023 to 184 in 2025, according to data from the State Attorney's Office.
The dramatic increase has prompted Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts Mike Caruso to call the theft of homes and lots an epidemic that could reach 800 cases this year.
WATCH BELOW: Deed theft cases explode in Palm Beach County, targeting seniors
"Just thinking about what my family goes through, I become emotional," said Ekaterini Alexopolous, whose family has been fighting to reclaim their stolen Boca Raton property for three years.
Police say a man forged a family member's name and created a fake driver's license to obtain the title to land off Boca Raton Boulevard. The deed thief then sold the property for $360,000, leading to a civil case between the rightful owner and new owner.
"I came to the point where I cannot deal with this," Alexopolous said.
Fraudsters use AI to target vulnerable property owners
Caruso, who was appointed Palm Beach County clerk in August, said criminals are increasingly sophisticated in their approach.
"They're using AI and different methods and software to find out who owns property, their age, whether they're over 65 or not, and whether they have a mortgage on the property or not," Caruso said.
Property owners over 65 are the primary targets of these schemes, which allow fraudsters to quickly steal and sell land from under owners' noses.
"It's a big challenge to get that property back," Caruso said. "It will cost you significant legal fees even if you are able to get it back."
Free fraud alert system gains traction
In response to the growing crisis, Caruso's office has launched a free property fraud alert service that has already attracted 9,700 property owners to sign up in just six weeks.
Under the program, property owners receive immediate email notifications when someone checks their property deed at the clerk's office.
"The key to this is early detection," Caruso said. "If you can get notified early on, we can take care of that problem right then and stop it immediately."
Previous cases show costly recovery process
The issue gained attention when WPTV highlighted Rosalee McCurdy's stolen land in Port St. Lucie. After the story aired, police arrested a Michigan woman, and a judge later awarded McCurdy her property back, but the legal battle cost her thousands in fees.
"It's like I'm buying my lot back, which was mine to begin with in the first place," McCurdy said.
Statewide problem destroys lives
Caruso says the problem extends far beyond Palm Beach County.
"I talked to my other clerks all throughout the state and this is the number one issue that is destroying people's lives," Caruso said.
For Alexopolous, the two-year court battle has taken its toll on her family.
"We're at the point where we will have to buy to get our property back and go on with our lives," Alexopolous said.
A Boca Raton police report identifies a suspect in the case as a Nigerian national suspected of fraud and theft cases in Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia. The report says the man is being held by federal authorities but has not yet been charged with any crimes.
HOW TO PREVENT PROPERTY FRAUD
So, how can other property owners reduce the chances of this happening to you?
Palm Beach and Treasure Coast counties have a program called "Property Fraud Alert."
County Clerk of Court Offices notify you immediately if there is an inquiry about any deeds, mortgages or other official records or issued in your name.
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This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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