Collin County is now offering this free Property Fraud Alert. It might be something you might want to consider doing.
This notification system is set up to help thwart people filing a fraudulent land records with the County Clerk, making it look like they own your home or business property.
It happens.
According to the FBI, the practice of “house stealing” involves a little mortgage fraud and some identity theft.
Scam artists pick a house to steal, maybe a rental property. They then assume the homeowner’s identity using any information they can find on the homeowner, create fake ID’s, forge signatures and notarizations, and file a fraudulent deed transferring the property away from the legitimate homeowner. Next, they record the deed and sell the property or re-mortgage it and pocket the proceeds – and can be long gone before the homeowner is aware of what’s happened.
Property Fraud Alert is a team effort with the County Clerk to help keep you informed if someone tries to file a land record using your good name.
I hope you find this informaiton useful.
Gayle
