According to the FBI, property and mortgage fraud is the fastest growing white-collar crime in the United States. Scammers file fake deeds, making it appear as if they own homes that are not actually theirs for financial gain. This occurs when a fraudulent document is drawn up in your name in an attempt to illegally acquire your property.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller of Union County is pleased to offer a free service to alert property homeowners to potential fraud. Property Fraud Alert is an online subscription service FREE to the public that allows you to have a name or names monitored with the Official Records office in order to track possible fraudulent recordings that affect your property. With Property Fraud Alert, subscribers can sign up and be notified when the name they have submitted is used in any recording activities within the Official Records office.
Make sure to register all variations of your name, and to complete enrollment by clicking on the verification email.
Fraud Alert FAQ
- Check the Official Records using the Records Search to see what documents are recorded under your name.
- Sign up for Union County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller’s free Property Fraud Alert for automated email alerts when your name is added to the Official Records index.
- If your property is vacant, check often to make sure it is not occupied illegally.
- Ask someone you trust to look after your property if you are away for an extended period of time.
- Do not let mail pile up when out of town.
- Make sure the Property Appraiser and Tax Collector offices have the correct mailing address for you or the person who should receive notices about your property.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller must record all documents that meet the requirements outlined in the Florida Statutes. The Clerk has no authority to refuse to record a properly prepared document, even if it may be fraudulent.
No document can be removed from the Official Records without a court order. Therefore, citizens are urged to contact local law enforcement and/or an attorney for prompt, appropriate action if fraud is suspected.
Contact the Union County Sheriff’s Office at 386-496-2150 and/or your attorney or legal advisor.
Neither the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, Property Appraiser, nor the Tax Collector’s office can take legal action on your behalf to reverse the fraudulent activity.
Property Fraud Alert is a free service offered by the Union County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller that alerts citizens via email when a document is recorded in their name.
On the Property Fraud Alert sign up page, you may enter up to five name variations per email address. When a document is recorded into the Official Records of Union County with a name that is being monitored, an email will automatically be sent to the provided email address.
The Property Fraud Alert alerts you to newly recorded documents only, i.e. documents recorded after you have signed up. To search documents already recorded under your name, select here.
To edit the names you are monitoring, you would make the changes in the Property Fraud system.