The San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk (ARCC) Office has been honored with an award for providing a free real estate fraud notification service that protects San Diego County property owners against title theft.
The award, presented by the Center for Digital Government, recognized ARCC’s “Owner Alert,” a free service that is available to any San Diego County property owner.
“We are honored to receive this award that demonstrates how my office is actively involved in protecting homeowners and property owners anytime a document is recorded with our office,” said Jordan Marks, San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk (ARCC). “My office is dedicated to preventing title fraud that can devastate victims both financially and emotionally. We encourage all San Diego County property owners to sign-up for this free service.”
Any property owner in San Diego County can register online with the ARCC office to receive an “Owner Alert” email alert within a few hours of when title is transferred and a document is recorded on a registered property. These alerts include unwarranted liens recorded on homes, personal businesses and trusts.
More information and registration instructions are available at www.sdarcc.gov.
A Frequently-Asked-Question section on the website answers such questions as, “After I subscribe can I edit my information,” “What happens if I receive an alert” and “What should I do if suspect fraud.”
According to Marks, the ARCC office’s cutting-edge technology allows homeowners to register up to 10 names and 10 Assessor’s Parcel Numbers (APNs).
Until recently, Marks said there was no email notification system in place to alert a rightful owner when title had been transferred on a property. This gave fraudsters valuable time to obtain loans using the property as collateral or opportunities for squatters to occupy a vacant home.
Another fraud scenario, said Marks, involves so-called title pirates who comb through public records and flag vacant parcels without a mortgage or other liens. Then, they pose as the landowner and use forged deeds to convey title. Sometimes, the con-artist will claim a family crisis and quickly accept a cash offer from an unsuspecting buyer while communicating with real estate professionals only through email and refusing to sign documents in person. Often, these scams go undetected until money is wired to another country.
“Our Owner Alert service is a great step forward to protecting San Diego County property owners,” said Marks. “My office is here to help protect your home and property title from fraudulent theft.”
The Center for Digital Government is a national research and advisory institute focused on technology policy and best practices in state and local government.
The San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk (ARCC) Office, with more than 450 employees and five offices in San Diego County, oversees assessing the value of real estate and personal property, which in San Diego includes planes and boats. Property taxes constitute the largest share of revenue for the county. The office is responsible for the recording of all legal real estate documents, as well as registering business names and issuing marriage licenses, birth and death certificates. Nearly every county resident who owns property or rents is affected by what happens at the ARCC office. Assessor Jordan Marks, a countywide elected official, serves as the San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk. He was elected to a four year term in November 2022. Contact the ARCC Office at www.sdarcc.gov.
