Fraud Notification Program Catches Suspect
Last October, Contra Costa County, California, announced the implementation of a “real estate fraud notification program.” You can read the press release here. According to a recent news report, the program tripped-up a suspected forger attempting to steal his parents’ home.
The system appears to use computer cross-matching of information obtained from the county recorder’s office and the county tax assessor. When it gets a “hit,” a notice is sent to the last owner of the property to alert them to potential wrongdoing.
COMMENT:
A number of municipalities, such as Philadelphia, PA, and Strafford County, NH, have implemented similar programs, but this appears to be the first reported arrest anywhere in the nation. Most of these programs automatically process each recorded transaction, while some, such as Floyd County, IN require an owner to subscribe to the service beforehand.