Here's a follow up to the Hillsborough County Clerk of the Court's Property Fraud Alert system we first shared with Tampa Bay Chamber Members on our eView Newsletter. To date, nearly 60,000 residents have subscribed to the program operated by the Clerk of the Courts Office. It notifies the subscriber by email or phone call (his/her preference) whenever a document is recorded in Hillsborough County using the property owner's name, business name, or trust name. It takes five minutes to sign up for the FREE alert which is intended to help homeowners protect their most valuable asset. The FBI calls property fraud the fastest-growing, white-collar crime in the U.S. and, specifically, in Hillsborough County.
Fox 13 Tampa Bay recently featured a Tampa family in this Property Fraud Alert program. Their story is a cautionary tale about preventative measures, which take only a few minutes to complete, can spare you from a lifetime of financial and emotional chaos. Click to see the full report: Hillsborough County property fraud alert system helped catch married couple accused of stealing home (fox13news.com) See the arrests involving a couple accused of stealing three homes in Hillsborough County. The Tampa homeowners were forced to file a lien against their own home to prevent the suspects from selling it. Police say the suspects had fraudulently changed the deed and were in the process of selling the home. The homeowners learned they were victims only after receiving the Clerk’s property fraud alert.
On June 28, 2024, Clerk of Court and Comptroller Cindy Stuart delivered a powerful presentation to the Tampa Bay Chamber's “Women of Influence” Committee. Effective July 1, 2024, Florida Law requires Clerk of the Court offices, statewide, offer a free property fraud alert system notifying residents when documents are filed against their homes. Hillsborough County's may serve as a model of best-practices that, ultimately, helps countless homeowners and business property owners from the panhandle to the keys. During the Chamber's Women of Influence Committee meeting, attended by more than 50 professionals, Stuart answered questions about the Property Fraud Alert program, as well as the many roles and responsibilities of her office, which include passports, domestic violence injunction innovations, jury duty scams and more.
Learn more: Alert | Hillsborough County Clerk (hillsclerk.com)
Sign up: Property Fraud Alert