According to the National Association of Realtors, there has been a rise in Property and Title fraud over the past several years1. Property or deed fraud occurs when someone illegally uses your property title or deed to transfer ownership without your knowledge or consent. This deceptive act often involves forging signatures, falsifying documents, or using other fraudulent means to manipulate property records. Once the fraudster gains control, they may sell the property, take out loans against it, or even change the ownership details.
Detecting fraud early is crucial to preventing loss and legal complications. Many County Clerk and Recorder's offices are now offering services to alert you of potential issues. These systems provide notifications whenever there are changes to your property records. While this may not prevent fraud entirely, it would notify you if a fraudulent transaction was attempted and intervene or correct before it causes problems down the road.
You can check to see if this service is offered in your County by contacting your local County Clerk and Recorder’s office or by visiting https://www.propertyfraudalert.com. Champaign County offers this service, which you can check out at https://champaigncountyclerk.com/recorder-deeds/fraud-protection.