It happens most often against a house that looks unattended: a vacant rental, a property tied up in an estate, or a long-time owner nobody is checking in on regularly. A fraudster forges an identity document or a signature and attempts to have a transfer registered before anyone notices the file has moved.
Because ISC requires a lawyer to confirm identity before a transfer goes on record, most attempts get caught at that verification step rather than after the fact. That verification is part of standard legal fees, typically $800 to $1,500 for a Saskatchewan closing.
The house type at highest risk is the one sitting empty during a sale or an inheritance, which is exactly when an extra title search earns its cost. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.