A new Alexandria program seeks to combat deed fraud by alerting property owners about new filings for their properties.
Alexandria Clerk of Circuit Court Greg Parks launched the VADeed Alert system last week to help protect property owners from deed fraud. Notifications are emailed to property owners when documents are filed in Alexandria land records.
There hasn’t been any deed fraud reported in Alexandria, but the alerts can provide property owners with a warning of “potentially fraudulent activity, such as unauthorized deed transfers or filings,” according to Parks’ office.
“We have not seen an instance of deed fraud in Alexandria, but we have seen instances at other jurisdictions in Virginia,” Parks told ALXnow.
The service is free and open to all Alexandria property owners.
Deed fraud, also known as title fraud or theft, involves a title transferred to a scammer that impersonates the real owner. According to a Virginia Housing Development Authority report to the General Assembly, scammers often target vacant properties and use information from the internet to impersonate property owners.
Common signs of deed fraud are quick cash-only sales, properties being listed under market value, requests for signing and notarization to be completed remotely, and urgent communications only being completed by email or text.
