Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello reminds County residents about home title theft that can occur when someone forges the deed to your property so that the title is no longer listed under your name. This kind of theft usually coincides with identity fraud. Con artists often use a falsified or stolen identity to hide their involvement in the theft. Then, they create a fake document that transfers ownership of the property to their own name instead of the name of the valid owner. Some property owners are much more likely to fall victim to deed theft such as seniors, individuals with second homes, or identity-theft victims.
To ensure that one’s property is protected, Sollami Covello reminds residents to register for the County Clerk’s Property Alert Service to provide property owners with important alerts concerning their properties. The Property Alert Service is completely free and alerts Mercer County property owners when the Mercer County Clerk’s Office records a document affecting a specific property. Residents can sign up for the alert system by going to https://records.mercercounty.org/PropertyAlert/ and registering.
It should be noted that the Property Alert Service does not prevent fraudulent activity from occurring; it helps monitor activity and transactions on properties. Anyone who suspects fraudulent activity should contact authorities. Additionally, if a County resident feels they have been victimized by property fraud, they may call our County Clerk’s Property Alert Hotline at 609-989-6470.
For more information, please visit the Mercer County Clerk’s website at https://www.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk or call the office’s main number at 609-989-6465.
