Hello, my name is Erica, and I'm writing on behalf of my parents, Richard and Patricia Self, two lifelong Pittsburgh residents whose South Side Slopes property was taken through deed fraud earlier this year. Their case has been covered by local news as part of a broader investigation into deed theft in Allegheny County. For those unfamiliar with it, deed fraud is a form of property theft in which someone illegally transfers ownership of a home or property into another person's name without the owner's knowledge or permission. After months of legal battles, my parents successfully reclaimed ownership of their property, but not before incurring thousands of dollars in legal fees, property damage, and financial losses they cannot afford to absorb alone.

In May of this year, my parents were working with their realtor to sell the property in the Slopes when they discovered, completely by accident, that someone had fraudulently transferred the deed to their South Side Slopes property into the name of an unfamiliar LLC the month prior. They made this discovery while already facing enormous challenges in their personal lives. My mother has been battling lung cancer and its associated medical costs for years, and my dad is also a disabled veteran who has had several joint replacements, a quadruple bypass, and a spinal fusion surgery. To say they have battled enough already is an understatement. When they discovered that the property's deed had been stolen through fraud, my parents knew they had to contact an attorney immediately to file motions with the Deed Office in order to stop the transfer. Even beginning the legal process required a $1,200 retainer for an attorney, a cost no victim of a crime should have to pay just to protect what is already legally theirs. As retirees already facing serious medical expenses, they have very little ability to absorb the financial costs of recovering from this crime without help.

The South Side Slopes property wasn't just another house. For years it was home to my dad's small business, Self Service Signs, where he kept business records, family memorabilia, and decades of documents while helping local businesses obtain sign permits and variances throughout Pittsburgh. While the deed was fraudulently in someone else's name, my father was legally unable to enter the property even though he was the rightful owner, and the victim of the crime. The water heater was stolen, the furnace was stripped of parts, and countless other repairs are now needed after months of being unable to access the property while fighting to reclaim ownership. The financial damage is only part of the story. Months of uncertainty brought sleepless nights, constant stress, and the very real possibility that they might never recover property that legally belonged to them. Despite overwhelming evidence, they were repeatedly warned there was no guarantee they would get their own house back.

Unfortunately, recovering the title did not restore the thousands of dollars in damage, legal expenses, or the months of emotional strain they endured. Now, they are faced with waiting for the arduous process of the perpetrator(s) being caught, charged, and tried. As with all investigations, it is impossible to know how long this will take, or whether my parents will ever recover any of their losses. This crime has left them with financial burdens that could follow them for the rest of their retirement.

Today, my parents have their property back, but they are still living with the financial consequences of the crime. Donations will help cover legal expenses already incurred, repairs to the property after months of vandalism and theft, and the financial burden this crime has placed on two retirees already facing serious medical expenses. Any support, whether through a donation or simply sharing this campaign, means more than we can express.

My father was raised in Mt. Oliver, worked the coke ovens at J&L Steel, and enlisted in the Army following the Tet Offensive. He served in South Korea before being honorably discharged. My mother grew up in West Mifflin and worked as a hairdresser and barber in Squirrel Hill and many other Pittsburgh neighborhoods. They are both proud Pittsburgh natives, working and living here their entire lives.

We're asking our Pittsburgh community to help my parents rebuild after a crime they never imagined could happen to them. Whether you're able to donate or simply share their story, every act of kindness helps.

Below are links to the news coverage of my parents' case. We also hope you'll share this campaign and help spread awareness of deed fraud. Please take a moment to check your own property records and encourage your loved ones, especially elderly or disabled relatives, to do the same. Before this happened, we had never even heard of deed theft, and we don't want anyone else to experience what we have.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to our story,

The Self Family

Links:

Yahoo Finance Article

11 Investigates Article