A new opt-in service from the circuit court clerk’s office aims to provide property owners with another tool to catch fraudulent activity.
The “Property Alert” initiative, offered at no charge, provides alerts when changes are made to property documentation held by the clerk’s office. Individuals can sign up for email notices based on criteria including name, property address or real property code.
“We can’t prevent the fraud, but we can let them know if there’s any action going on with the title of the property,” Clerk of the Circuit Court Paul Ferguson told County Board members on April 7.
The signup process takes just a few minutes. There is no charge to register, but a nominal fee comes with accessing any documents referenced in an alert.
Signing up provides no specific protections beyond the notification.
According to Experian, title fraud typically starts with, and is a form of, identity theft. Documents are then filed with the local jurisdiction to transfer a property’s legal title.
While safeguards are in place, fraudulent applications can still slip through.
“Since home title insurance is still considered rare, it’s likely something you may not give much thought to,” Experian’s analysts said. “But if you’re a victim, the consequences could be devastating.”
Last year, the FBI reported this type of fraud was on the rise nationally.
“Nationwide, from 2019 through 2023, 58,141 victims reported $1.3 billion in losses relating to real estate fraud,” the agency reported. “The reported losses are most likely much higher due to that fact that many don’t know where to report it, are embarrassed or haven’t yet realized they have been scammed.”
Some private firms advertise and sell “title lock insurance,” promising support if a property owner falls victim. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has raised concerns about some of the providers.
The FTC’s recommendations to the public in combating fraud include the following:
- Check your credit report for free through AnnualCreditReport.com; each of the nationwide credit bureaus also lets you get free weekly credit reports online
- If you suddenly stop receiving utility bills, that may be a sign of identity theft, so contact utility companies
- Anyone suspecting identity theft can go to IdentityTheft.gov for a free, personalized recovery plan
Ferguson, who has been the elected clerk of the Circuit Court since 2008, said the local area to date has not been a hotbed of attempted title theft.
“It hasn’t been a real problem in Arlington,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean we don’t have constituents who are concerned about it — and I understand their concern.”
