Broome County officials are warning property owners about deed fraud and urging them to register for a free alert that notifies subscribers when documents are recorded under their names.
County Clerk Aaron Martin joined District Attorney F. Paul Battisti, attorney Kenneth F. Tomko of Hinman, Howard & Kattell, and Christina Schaefer of the Greater Binghamton Association of REALTORS for the warning released October 6.
The clerk’s office says deed fraud can involve forged signatures or an owner being deceived into signing transfer papers. A fraudulent deed can make public records appear to show that someone else owns the property. Scammers may then try to sell it, obtain loans against it or collect rental income.
Officials say criminals often target properties where a change may go unnoticed, including vacant or absentee-owned properties, homes without mortgages and inherited properties with outdated records. Elderly homeowners can also be targeted.
The county’s free Fraud Alert system is available through its records provider, Info Quick Solutions. Broome County residents and anyone who owns property in the county can register at searchiqs.com/fraudalert. The clerk’s office also sends paper fraud letters to transferors when deeds for residential properties are recorded.
Martin’s office says prevention begins before documents arrive for filing. Real estate professionals and attorneys are being encouraged to verify identities, scrutinize documents and report warning signs before a transaction closes. The clerk has a statutory obligation to record appropriate transfer documents received for filing.
The District Attorney’s Office says it is committed to prosecuting deed fraud. The release describes prevention and reporting efforts; it does not identify a new local prosecution or give a count of confirmed fraud cases.
