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Home deed fraud

Losing Your Home with One Signature: Home Title Fraud on the Rise and What You Can Do

If you’re like most Americans, your home is your single most valuable asset. Yet you could lose it with just one signature.

This is what happened to Gloria Ormand-Ward, the Appellant in the Court of Appeals of South Carolina case Ormand-Ward v. Litt (2025) (find the PDF here).

Below, we’ll look at how one South Carolina woman lost her home, how it’s possible, and some resources and steps to battle home title fraud (aka deed fraud or home title theft) – including free property recording alerts available in several South Carolina counties.

How an HOA Lien Led to Home Fraud Deed: Ormand-Ward v. Litt

About to Lose Her Home Over Unpaid HOA Assessments

Gloria Ormand-Ward lived in a home (Home) subject to covenants of a homeowner’s association (HOA). In January 2019, her HOA placed a lien against the Home since she failed to pay assessments due. In September 2020, the HOA filed a foreclosure action, seeking $5,526.50 in assessments, late fees, and legal fees.

(Crazy at it may seem, in South Carolina, an HOA can foreclose on a home over outstanding debts, and some HOAs have made quite a good income from doing so. Read more about this here on our blog.)

Getting “Help”

Facing the loss of her house to foreclosure, Ormand-Ward agreed to get help from a man who called himself David Litt and his company Homedebone, LLC (Homedebone). He told her he could handle the situation to prevent her home from being foreclosed on.

In February 2021, Ormand-Ward “purportedly” signed a warranty deed prepared by Homedebone, which transferred the Home to the company for $100. The deed was registered with Horry County soon after. Ormand-Ward also “purportedly” signed a Power of Attorney that appointed Litt as her attorney-in-fact.

The HOA was paid and satisfied. It released the lien and dismissed the foreclosure action.

Suddenly Homeless

This should have been great news for Ormand-Ward – except she didn’t realize, she says, that she had signed away her home. Litt had deceived her.

Homedebone sold the Home to a third party for $260,000 in March 2021, and Ormand-Ward was made to leave. Ormand-Ward, in her late 70s at the time, lived in her vehicle and in homeless shelters over the next few months before being hospitalized due to declining health. She was eventually moved to a long-term care facility.

In November 2021, she brought legal action against Litt and several other defendants. The appeals court affirmed the lower court’s dismissal of the case with respect to one of the defendants, the Chicago Title Insurance Company, but the case with the remaining defendants is still pending.

How This Could Happen – and What Happens Next

Would you ever fall for such a scheme? Maybe you assume it could never happen to you. But you might be surprised at just how easy it is to transfer a home’s title through forgery (when signatures or documents are falsified) or fraud (when deception is used to get a signed deed). Here are just a few legal and procedural factors that can zxzd5 play a part:

  • No attorney required. A homeowner might reasonably believe that a home could only be sold or transferred with the assistance of an attorney, since South Carolina requires an attorney for real estate closings. But attorneys are not required to draft, review, or approve the signing of a deed.
  • The county does not verify the transfer. The register of deeds or county clerk will record the deed as long as a deed adheres to South Carolina’s legal requirements (such as notarization and witness signatures). It is not part of the job to verify that the conveyance is legitimate.
  • Failing to read and/or understand contracts. Many people don’t read what they are signing or fully understand what they are agreeing to. Even with a close reading, someone may not fully appreciate the consequences of signing something like a power of attorney.
  • Online signature. The appeals court notes that Ormand-Ward signed both the deed and the power of attorney digitally. DocuSign and similar services make it extremely easy to “sign” by typing in your name without reading everything in the agreement.

Can you get your home back after home title theft? It depends in part on whether the deed was the result of forgery or fraud and whether the property has since been conveyed to a bona fide third party. In Ormand-Ward’s case, since she “purportedly” (to use the appeals court’s word) signed the deed herself and the home was later conveyed to a third party who presumably didn’t know about the fraud, she may not be able to get her home back. (Again, the current case did not resolve this issue.)

No matter the situation, a property owner who discovers issues with a home title should contact a real estate lawyer with experience in home deed theft cases.

Home Title Theft – What You Can Do, and Resources

Home title fraud is not as common as some title monitoring companies would have you believe, but it is on the rise, according to the Boston Division of the FBI. Here are some resources and to-dos that can help protect yourself and your home.

Pay debts to avoid foreclosure. A property owner facing foreclosure is more likely to be targeted in deed fraud schemes, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). So pay your taxes, mortgage, assessments, fees, dues, and other debts to avoid impending foreclosure in the first place.

If you’re already facing foreclosure, or are concerned you will soon, check out HUD’s online resources to help homeowners avoid foreclosure or call 1-888-995-HOPE (4673) to be connected to a HUD-approved housing counselor.

Seek legal advice. Contact an attorney if you’ve discovered issues with your home title, if you’re facing foreclosure, or if you’re asked to sign something, especially if it’s to “avoid foreclosure,” “fix your taxes,” “help with the HOA,” “qualify for assistance,” or something similar. An hour of an attorney’s time could be well worth the cost if it keeps you from making a life-changing mistake.

If an attorney is out of your budget, look for free or low-cost programs and resources. Here are some resources in South Carolina:

  • The South Carolina Department on Aging provides funds for legal assistance to qualifying individuals aged 60 and older. Toll-free number: 1-800-868-9095
  • South Carolina Legal Services is a non-profit offering legal advice, assistance, and representation to individuals based on eligibility and type of legal issue. Toll-free number: 1-888-346-5592
  • Find resources through the South Carolina Bar including the low-cost Lawyer Referral Service (phone number: 1-803-799-7100) and the online program Free Legal Answers.
  • The South Carolina Legal Resource Finder is an online tool that determines eligibility for programs based on life circumstances and legal situations

Say “I’ll have my attorney look at it.” You can say this anytime someone asks you to sign something, even if you don’t have an attorney and don’t intend on using one. Fraudsters don’t want attorneys involved; if you use this line and get pushback, that’s a red flag that something’s not right.

Monitor your home title. Keeping an eye on your home title can’t prevent transfer due to forgery, but it can help you catch any issue early on so you can take action. Several companies offer home title monitoring for a monthly or yearly fee, often along with other services. Be aware that it’s not possible to “lock” or “freeze” a title to prevent title transfer from occurring; the best these services can do is alert you quickly.

Or monitor your own title for free anytime. Go to the website of your county’s Register of Deeds (or Clerk of Court, in some counties) and search the property records.

Sign up for free automatic alerts. Several counties in South Carolina now offer a FREE automatic alert system that emails you if and when something associated with your name occurs, such as a transfer of your home’s title.

Counties not listed here don’t have a similar system at the time of this writing, but that could change in the future. Check back with your county to see if the service is added later.

Legal Advice from Experienced Business and Real Estate Attorney Gem McDowell

For legal help and strategic advice in South Carolina, call Gem McDowell. Gem helps individuals and businesses create and review contracts, solve problems, and avoid mistakes. Contact Gem and his team at the Gem McDowell Law Group, with offices in Myrtle Beach and Mt. Pleasant, SC, to schedule your free consultation today by calling 843-284-1021.

 

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