What To Do After a Suspicious Property Filing in NYC

You Got an Alert — We’ve Already Started

If King Moves Connect notified you of an unexpected filing, the first thing to know is: receiving an alert does not mean something is wrong. Many filings are routine — a lender confirming a payoff, a utility easement, a minor correction deed. For anything flagged urgent, we’ve already begun verifying it and opening a case by the time you see the alert — you’re not starting from zero.

But if the filing looks unfamiliar — especially if it’s a deed, a mortgage, or a lis pendens — here’s what happens next, and what you should do in parallel.

This article walks you through our response plan and yours, side by side.

Step 1: Look at the Actual Document

In your King Moves Connect dashboard, click through to the ACRIS record linked in the alert, or open your case’s Action Report. You’ll see the scanned image of the recorded document and what we’ve already verified about it.

Ask yourself:

• Is this a transaction I recognize? Did I sign this or authorize it?
• Are the parties listed correct? (Your name should appear, spelled correctly, as the grantor/mortgagor.)
• Does the date make sense?
• Does the notarization look legitimate?

If you recognize the transaction, you can mark the alert as “Reviewed” and close it.

Step 2: We Start the Right Process — You Call an Attorney

Do not wait. Do not “see if anything else happens.” While you contact a real estate attorney who handles deed fraud or property disputes in New York City, we’re doing our part in parallel: opening a case, pulling your property’s full filing history, and starting outreach.

Why urgency matters: once a fraudulent deed is recorded and a third party takes action based on it (taking out loans, selling the property), the legal process to undo the harm becomes significantly more complex. Acting fast — within days, not weeks — dramatically improves your options. That’s why we don’t wait for you to log in before we start.

Where to find an attorney:

• NYC Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service: (212) 626-7373
• Legal Services NYC (for income-eligible homeowners): legalservicesnyc.org
• Brooklyn Legal Services and similar borough organizations

Step 3: We Help You Report to Authorities

Property fraud can be reported to multiple agencies simultaneously. As part of our outreach on urgent cases, we help flag suspicious filings to the relevant City agency — and here’s who you (or we, on your behalf) can reach:

NYC Department of Investigation — Sheriff’s Bureau: Report online at nyc.gov or call (212) 825-5959. The NYC Sheriff has jurisdiction over real property crimes.

NYC Deed Theft Task Force: NYC launched a dedicated Deed Theft Task Force in 2022. File a complaint at nyc.gov/deedtheft.

NYPD: File a police report at your local precinct. Get the complaint number — your attorney and other agencies will ask for it.

New York State Attorney General: File a complaint at ag.ny.gov if you believe the fraud involved a business or organized scheme.

Whatever we initiate on your behalf is logged in your case’s Action Report, so you and your attorney always know exactly what’s already been done.

Step 4: Notify Key Parties

• Your mortgage lender — Tell them you have not consented to any new liens or transfers. Ask them to flag the account.
• Your homeowner’s insurance — Document the incident. Your policy may cover some costs.
• NYC Department of Finance — They administer property taxes and can sometimes flag accounts that appear compromised.

Step 5: Document Everything

Create a folder (digital or physical) with:

• Screenshots and PDFs of the suspicious ACRIS filings
• Your King Moves Connect alert history and Action Report
• Correspondence with your attorney and authorities
• A timeline of events

This documentation will be critical for your attorney and any legal proceedings.

What Remedies Are Available?

New York State has several remedies for deed theft, including:

• Vacating a fraudulent deed — A court can declare the deed void if fraud is proven. This is cleaner when acted on quickly.
• Quiet title action — A lawsuit establishing your ownership against all other claims.
• Criminal prosecution — Deed theft is a felony in New York under the Protecting Homeowners from Deed Theft Act (2023).

The 2023 Protecting Homeowners from Deed Theft Act strengthened penalties significantly, making it easier for prosecutors to pursue and for homeowners to recover.

A Note on King Moves Connect’s Role

King Moves Connect does not provide legal advice or represent you in legal proceedings — that’s what your attorney is for. But we don’t stop at making sure you know about new ACRIS filings as fast as possible. For urgent cases, we verify the filing, open a case, and start outreach on your behalf — which can include flagging a suspicious filing to the relevant City agency — so there’s already a documented paper trail by the time you and your attorney need one.

We’ll keep monitoring your property throughout any investigation, keep acting on your behalf as the situation evolves, and alert you to any new filings.

If you have questions about how to interpret a specific alert or what we’ve already done on a case, contact us through the support section of your dashboard.