He had a method for tracking potential fraudulent transfer in place, but they have revamped it and are making sure everyone knows about it.
He said there isn’t a big problem in Butler County but it is a rising trend nationally. His office mailed out 93,000 postcards recently notifying property owners about the new tool and the response has been huge, “the weekend we sent the card out we had over 900 people sign up.” As of Monday more than 3,600 people have enrolled.
Crank’s Chief Deputy Denise Goll said people can sign up online or in person using their name — best to enter proper name and nicknames — or a lot number to get notification when any changes have been recorded in their office.
“If a document is recorded in our office and we index the alert information, they will receive an email telling them that something was recorded, the date, book and page and if they do not know what it is they should contact our office,” Goll said. “We are not seeing deed fraud in Butler County, but it is happening in Ohio and across the nation. We are trying to be proactive in having an alert system in place so that if something does happen to their property, they find out now and not six months from now.”
The FBI doesn’t track home title theft specifically, but there were 9,521 real estate fraud complaints and $145 million in losses reported in 2023.
Deed fraud often involves quitclaim deeds, which is a transfer of property without guaranteeing that the grantor has valid ownership. It’s most commonly used in non-sale situations, such as transfers between family members.
Crank said the crux of the crime lies with the notary publics who are charged with verifying people and property transfers.
“A deed is only as good as the person who notarizes that deed, in other words the notary on that deed must make sure they see the identification of everybody involved in that transfer,” Crank said. “If you’ve got a notary who doesn’t do their job or is in on the theft of the property that’s the person causing the problem.”
HOW IT WORKS
To set up an alert property owners can go to: recorder.bcohio.gov/property_alert and establish an account. For more information call: 513-887-3192.
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