An 83-year-old North Portland homeowner was stunned to learn that his childhood home had been stolen through forged signatures on a fraudulent deed. While living in California, Ron Henne received a call from a neighbor who witnessed a locksmith changing his locks, only to discover someone else had filed paperwork claiming ownership of the property for a fraction of its true value. The fraudulent buyer never paid Henne a cent, yet the bogus deed was still recorded with Multnomah County, leaving Henne’s family scrambling to undo the theft.
Officials admitted this type of property crime is rapidly growing in Oregon, with multiple cases surfacing in recent months. The scheme exposes a massive loophole in property record systems, where criminals can forge signatures and file fake deeds without immediate verification. Experts warn this leaves homeowners, especially those with fully paid-off or vacant properties, highly vulnerable to fraud that could wipe away their generational wealth overnight.
This story was first reported by wweek.com Willamette Week
