Signing up is quick and easy! Simply follow these steps:

1. Go to the Property Fraud Alerts website
2. Choose whether you would like to monitor a person’s name or a business name.
3. Enter the name you would like to monitor. Register all variations of the name, including middle names, middle initials and abbreviations. Suffixes such as Jr, Sr, II, III, etc. should be entered in the middle name field after the middle name or individually.  
4. Enter the street address you would like to monitor. Register all variations of the address, including abbreviations.
5. If registering your parcel number, be sure to enter all 17 numbers.
6. Do not include periods, commas and apostrophes when registering.
7. Enter the email address you would like to use for the alerts.
8. Choose a language for your alerts, and then click "Send confirmation email."
9. Check your email and complete the registration process to finish setting up your free alerts.
10. If you do not receive an email, please contact our office by email at PropertyFraudAlerts@mypalmbeachclerk.com or by phone at 561-355-2991.

You may repeat the process to monitor additional names.

If you have any questions, please contact our office by email at PropertyFraudAlerts@mypalmbeachclerk.com or by phone at 561-355-2991. 

• If a document is recorded that exactly matches your monitoring criteria, you will receive an alert within 24 hours.
• The alert email will provide you with the document type, Clerk's File Number or CFN, and book and page number.
• The alert will also include a link to view the actual document on the online Official Records website. 
• For assistance, please contact the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller’s Recording Department at (561) 355-2991 or PropertyFraudAlerts@mypalmbeachclerk.com.
• If you suspect you are a victim of fraud, please seek legal advice and contact law enforcement. You may also consider filing a case in civil court.

If you would like to cancel your Property Fraud Alert subscription, email propertyfraudalerts@mypalmbeachclerk.com. Please identify the alert(s) to be cancelled by providing each name, address and/or parcel control number that you would like to cancel. The request to cancel must come from the email currently registered with our office.

Is my Property Fraud Alert registration subject to public records law?

No, email addresses, names and parcel numbers used to register for Property Fraud Alerts are protected from public disclosure per section 28.47(5)(b), Florida Statutes.

• Check the Clerk Office’s Official Records often using the Official Records Search to make sure that there are no deeds, mortgages, or liens that you are unaware of on your property. 
• Sign up for the free Property Fraud Alert service, which will automate this process with email notifications. Be sure to update your registration whenever there is a change in property ownership, financial interest, name, mailing address, or email address. Call 561-355-2991 for more information on this service.
• If your property is not occupied, you should check often to make sure it is not occupied illegally.
• Monitor vacant lots regularly; they are common targets for fraudsters.
• Ask someone trustworthy and dependable to look after your house if you are going to be away for an extended period of time. 
• Do not let mail accumulate if you are going out of town.
• Be wary of signing lots of paperwork – unscrupulous individuals and organizations may “hide” quit claim deeds or other paperwork in the middle of stacks of legitimate paperwork.
• Make sure that the Property Appraiser and Tax Collector offices have the correct mailing address for you or the person who should receive notices about your property.
• Contact the Property Appraiser and Tax Collector if you suddenly stop receiving notices that you normally (or should) receive such as your TRIM Notice and Tax Bill.

Potential Warning Signs of Deed Fraud (Current Owners)

When you receive a notification or become aware of:

• A recorded document on your property where you never signed the document and your signature was forged.
• A recorded document on your property where ownership of your property, or a portion thereof, was transferred or sold to another party without your knowledge.
• A recorded document on your property where the signer of the document was deceased at the time of execution of the document.
• A loan was taken out on your property without your knowledge.
• Your name or personally identifiable information was used to convey property without your knowledge.
• Changes or alterations were made to a recorded document after you signed it. 

Also, if you: 

• Stop receiving your property tax bill or notices.
• Receive a Notice of Default or Notice of Trustee’s Sale when you own your home outright (free and clear of a mortgage loan) or when you have a mortgage and you are not delinquent on your loan payments.
• Receive loan documents in the mail for a loan that was obtained without your knowledge.
• Receive real estate documents in the mail for a transaction on your property that was conducted without your knowledge.

Potential Warning Signs of Deed Fraud (Buyers)

• Beware of sellers who are in a rush to close or who only want to communicate via email or text.
• Sometimes deals that are “too good to be true” are scams or attempts to defraud. 
• Be suspicious of wiring instructions that use banks not located in the owner’s country of residence.
• Beware of sellers who only want cash buyers or who request cryptocurrency as payment. 
• Be wary of online listings, low-quality photos, and generic descriptions.
• Don’t solely rely on information provided by sellers or seller agents – conduct your own research.