Darryl Sherman’s home was fraudulently stolen from him through a forged quit claim deedCredit: WDIV

His Detroit house had been in his family since 1970Credit: WDIV

His mother-in-law Marjorie Taylor and her husband had bought the home 50 years ago before passing it down when Taylor died in 2010.

Then, last year, he began receiving text messages and phone calls from a woman who said that his family home was actually hers, reported ClickonDetroit.

At the time, a renter had been living in the home.

It turns out that Sherman had been a victim of a quit claim deed fraud.

Quit claim deeds are legal documents that allow a person to transfer ownership of a property to another person without proof of sale.

They are commonly used to gift homes between family members and can be legitimate legal documents.

Unfortunately, these documents are relatively easy to forge.

Sherman’s attorney, Gilbert Borman, explained that he has faced multiple similar cases.

“People have suddenly gotten a knock on the door and been told, ‘You don’t own the house,'” he said.

It all begins with a forged document and leads to a scammer trying to evict the rightful homeowner.

“Somebody concocted a fraudulent deed and recorded it. And now they’re trying to evict the actual owner,” Borman said of Sherman’s case.

While investigating how the fraudulent deed came to be, Sherman’s lawyer found some suspicious activity.

The deed claims that in 2010, Sherman’s mother-in-law signed over the house for a mere $30,000.

It appears that the deed had Taylor’s signature on the paperwork, but it was the notary that had been out of line.

The notary wrote in the paperwork that their “Commission expires in 2015.”

However, according to state files, the notary’s commission expired in 2006, making the deed invalid.

Sherman was able to win a court battle and save his home, but only after spending $20,000 in legal feesCredit: WDIV

In Wayne County, deed fraud has become a rising problem, with many instances coming out of DetroitCredit: WDIV

“[They] should not have been stamping any papers in 2010,” Sherman explained.

Sherman has finally been able to prove that the home is his, but not without a cost.

“I would estimate it right about $20,000,” Darryl Sherman said of his expenses.

It turns out that his renter had been in on the plan to steal his house, admitting to it throughout the court proceedings.

“To them, it’s easy money and they don’t want to work,” Sherman said.

The distraught homeowner just does not understand why fraudsters feel right hurting innocent people.

“But you don’t have to victimize people. You know, do something else,” he said.

A GROWING ISSUE

In Wayne County, the Register of Deeds Office keeps track of home ownership but fake deeds are still a growing problem.

According to Bernie Youngblood, the employee who runs the Wayne County Property Deeds Database, someone once tried to register a fraudulent deed for a home that one of the clerks there owned.

“And the attendant taking the document said, ‘OK, I’ll be right with you, walked 10 feet away, and came and said (to her colleague), ‘Is this guy buying your house from you? Is that your signature?’” recalled Youngblood.

“That is my house. That’s my address. That’s not my signature,’” replied the homeowner.

While Youngblood has noticed fraudulent deeds in multiple towns one city stands out among the crowd.

“I think the majority, if we were to take a look, has all been in Detroit,” Youngblood said.

Wayne County’s task force set up by Youngblood helps people reclaim their stolen homes and has returned 400 so far.