By Lesley Keays
Herald Correspondent
Did you know that a free website exists to help residents of Seminole County protect their properties?
Over 20,000 homeowners do.
They have signed on to Property Fraud Alert, a system allowing homeowners to track documents that signal possible property fraud. The Seminole County Courts record all property transactions, including mortgages, deeds, and liens. With the advent of new technology in the form of online signatures, inevitably, fraud increases.
Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller Grant Maloy recognized the need for enhanced policing of such personal and commercial properties. In response, local property records dating back to 1913 were scanned meticulously.
In 2017, Open Checkbook, a financial tracking system, was implemented by Grant Maloy’s office and fully completed in 2019.
Should any property document be recorded in the owner’s name, the individual is notified online with a link to the signed document. If fraud has occurred, the Owner of Record can connect swiftly with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office and petition the Court to allow removal of fraudulent real estate documents. Only the owner can remove false documents via a court order, thus, it’s critical that owners are alerted by Property Fraud Alert.
“While our system cannot prevent property fraud from occurring, we can alert owners as quickly as possible that fraud has occurred,” stated Grant Maloy. “We are able to mitigate risk.”
Seminole County Property Appraiser David Johnson, CFA, agrees. “There are among us vulnerable groups; examples are elderly homeowners or individuals owning a second home that may be absentee. Fortunately, our office maintains a strong relationship with Seminole County Legal Aid to assist the vulnerable in assessing next steps, like litigation.”
To sign up for Seminole County Property Fraud Alert, access www.seminoleclerk.org.
