Fraudsters forged a deceased owner's signature to sell church land in North Carolina

Timothy Peppers learned that the Orange County property his family bought in the 1960s, slated for a new West Saint Mark Church of Christ sanctuary in Chapel Hill, had been sold for $110,000 on April 17 through a forged purchase agreement. The falsified document included the signature of his mother, Molly Peppers, who passed away in 2021, leading Peppers to question the legitimacy of the sale. The lawyer who processed the deed confirmed the deal should never have occurred, noting his client had also been duped by an impostor posing as Peppers.

After legal action, the deed was returned to Peppers, allowing the church’s building plans to resume. Authorities have linked the case to a comparable fraud in nearby Apex and the FBI has issued an alert about criminals exploiting vacant land by stealing owners’ identities. Officials advise property owners to enroll in county fraud-alert services, monitor deed filings, and report suspicious activity promptly.