By Carole Carlson
ccarlson@post-trib.com/648-3154
April 24, 2012 5:02PM
Learn more
Property owners may subscribe to the service free of charge online at www.propertyfraudalert.com or call the Property Fraud Alert at 1 (800) 728-3858.
More information on the program is available by contacting the Lake County recorder’s office at 755-3730 and the Porter County Recorder’s office at 465-3465.
Updated: April 25, 2012 2:03AM
So far, 366 people have signed up in Lake County for a new property fraud alert system that notifies them if someone processes a transaction using their name.
In Porter County, Recorder Jon Miller said just 73 people have signed up, so far, so he’d like to spread the word. Miller and Lake County Recorder Michelle Fajman both said they plan to do more public outreach to let property owners know how the free alert system can protect them from fraud.
The alert service notifies property owners anytime a document is recorded in the recorder’s office using their name.
Fajman, whose office started the free service in November, said property owners can go online to check, or call a toll free phone number.
She said a Merrillville woman recently signed up for the service after discovering a utility company had filed a lien against her mortgage when a tenant at her rental home failed to pay utility bills.
“There are people who prey on our senior citizens and unfortunately, it also comes from within our own home,” said Fajman. She said an elderly woman from Highland hired a plumber who forged her signature on a quit-claim deed document in an attempt to steal her property.
“We have to be more careful of identity theft, as well as property theft fraud. Your most expensive investment is your home,” Fajman said.
While Lake County just started the alert system last year, Miller said Porter County has offered it for seven years.
“It’s a neat service offered by our software vendor, Fidlar Technologies. “The beauty of it is after you sign up, you get an email notification that someone has filed a piece of paper with your name on it.”
Miller received an alert on his email in 2010. It turned out the document certifying he took the oath of office as recorder was filed under his name. “I found out it worked,” he said.