FBI Boston warns property owners, real estate agents about “title pirates” after I-Team reports

The Boston office of the FBI is taking action after a series of I-Team investigations into stolen land scams and attempted property theft. The FBI is warning homeowners and real estate agents to be on the lookout for the schemes. 

They are all different properties, but it is the same kind of theft. 

I-Team reports

Last summer, Halla Shami Jakari told WBZ-TV’s I-Team she never sold her land and was shocked to find out it was gone. Halla and her husband Omar discovered thieves stole their vacant land in Concord. 

The fraudsters then sold it to a buyer who started building a house on it. Omar says, “they stole our dream.”

John Grimes was living in his Plymouth home when he got a knock on the door. 

“It was an engineering firm and they wanted to do a plot plan for the property that’s being sold,” Grimes said. “I explained to him don’t do anything you are caught up in a scam! I was just like, ‘Oh my God this is still happening.'” 

Philip says his elderly parents also almost lost their Cape Cod waterfront access land after thieves listed it for sale. 

“My mother was in a state of panic she said ‘absolutely not, the land is not on sale,'” he said. 

In some of the cases, the fraudsters impersonated the owners using fake driver’s licenses. 

“Elderly population” targeted

The FBI says it cannot comment on any specific cases but says thieves seem to prey on one group. 

“Our elderly population because they are more likely to own vacant pieces land that they have had for quite some time, and they are also more likely to own homes without any mortgages on them,” FBI Special Agent Vivian Barrios said. “Because those have the biggest benefit to the criminal actor.” 

Land theft is on the rise nationally and now the cases are increasing in our area, prompting the Boston office of the FBI to send out a warning about “title pirates.” 

Data shows from 2019-2023 in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, 2,301 victims lost more than $61.5 million. 

Report theft immediately

Special Agent Barrios says time is of the essence in these cases and victims should report the theft immediately. “We find that within a 24-hour window we can sometimes get to the money before it’s left the account and the banks together with us can sometimes get the money back to the victims,” Barrios said. 

The mounting cases are causing concerns for folks like Grimes who nearly lost his home. “It’s really frightening for a homeowner,” he said. 

After our I-Team reports aired last year, every registry of deeds now allows Massachusetts homeowners to sign up for a free alert that will notify them whenever a document is recorded on their property. The FBI also has a website where property owners can report fraud.

Cheryl Fiandaca

Cheryl Fiandaca is the chief investigative reporter for the I-Team at WBZ-TV.