The following information has been distributed from the City of Philadelphia Recorder of Deeds:
Sign up for deed fraud protection
You can protect yourself from deed and mortgage fraud by signing up for Deed Fraud Guard. This is a simple way to monitor your land records and warn you of potential property fraud.
Notaries can also sign up to be notified when a document is recorded with their signature and notary stamp.
Deed and mortgage fraud
Deed fraud is when a person sells a home pretending to be the owner without permission from the legal owner.
Mortgage fraud is when a person signs a mortgage for a property they don’t own. They then borrow money against the property.
In both cases, the change happens without the legal owner’s knowledge or informed consent.
For Pennsylvania notary publics:
Register on the Deed Fraud Guard website, and when your signature and notary stamp are used to record a document, you will be notified by email.
If you believe that your signature and stamp have been used to fraudulently record a document, you can record a notary affidavit with the Department of Records. There is no fee to record a notary affidavit.
See the department’s regulation for more information about recording a notary affidavit.