The Santa Cruz County recorder’s office has launched a free online service that helps alert property owners to potential real estate fraud.
Anyone is allowed to sign up to receive an email alert whenever a document is recorded in their name, allowing for an early warning system so property owners can take early action if someone has registered a fraudulent or unauthorized document – for example a deed or a lien – involving their property.
A deed transfers ownership to real property from one person, the grantor, to another person, the grantee. A lien is a legal claim against a property or assets used as collateral to satisfy a debt.
“Real estate fraud can have devastating consequences, and it often goes undetected until significant damage has been done,” Sheri Thomas, county assessor-recorder, said in a news release.
Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeff Rosell said in the release that his office is “committed to the investigation and prosecution of real estate scams and fraud.”
To register, visit https://www.recorder.santacruzcountyca.gov/ and click on Fraud Notify.
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