Safeguarding your personal information has never been more important. In today’s digital world, sensitive data can be targeted by increasingly sophisticated hackers and scammers. Because real estate is such a valuable asset, it has become a frequent target for fraud, particularly when it comes to property deeds.

Deed fraud occurs when criminals illegally forge or alter documents to transfer ownership of a property without the owner’s knowledge. In some cases, they attempt to access a home’s equity or sell the property altogether, leaving unsuspecting homeowners facing serious financial and legal consequences.

The good news is that homeowners now have a simple way to monitor activity tied to their property. Many counties in Wisconsin offer free alert registries that notify you by email or text whenever a document is recorded under your name in public records. These alerts serve as a warning system, allowing you to quickly spot suspicious activity and take action by contacting your county recorder or local law enforcement.

To protect yourself, visit your county recorder’s website and register your name, along with any family or business names associated with your property. Any real estate you own or have an entity that owns can be registered for alerts. The system automatically scans newly recorded documents each day, and if your name appears, you’ll receive a notification. This allows you to review the filing and confirm it’s legitimate.

Taking a few minutes to sign up for these alerts can provide added peace of mind and an important layer of protection for one of your most valuable investments, your home.

Here are some links to deed notification services in the Northwest suburbs:

• Cook: cookcountyclerkil.gov/recordings/property-fraud-unit
• DeKalb: deeds.dekalbcountyga.gov/LandmarkWeb/FraudAlert
• DuPage: propertyfraudalert.com/ILDupage
• Kane: kanecountyrecorder.net
• Lake County: lc38.lakecountyil.gov/eSearch/Sentry/Home.aspx
• McHenry: mchenrycountyil.gov/departments/county-recorder

Here are some links to deed notification services in Southern Wisconsin:

• Kenosha: kenoshacountywi.gov/2467/Land-Notification-Deed-Fraud
• Milwaukee: propertyfraudalert.com/WIMilwaukee
• Racine: landnotification.racinecounty.gov/lns.app/
• Rock: propertyfraudalert.com/WIRock
• Walworth: co.walworth.wi.us/1117/Land-Notification
• Waukesha: waukeshacounty.gov/register-of-deeds/recording-notification-service-rns