Collier County Launches A New Initiative to Protect Homeowners from Property Fraud

Do you own a second home in Florida, travel frequently, or have an empty rental property? You could become a victim of property fraud – one of the fastest-growing white-collar crimes in the country. But now, thanks to new legislation, paired with an initiative from Collier County, you can be proactive about protecting yourself and your property.

In January 2024, Florida Statute 695.26 was amended to require each of the two witnesses to record a deed to print, stamp, or type their post office address below their signature. The purpose of this change was to help fight against fake deeds and the ability of scammers to use these fraudulent documents to sell or lease property your property while you’re away. By requiring a verified address, it’s now easier to properly identify these witnesses and more difficult to run the scam.

But Collier County also wants to provide a way for homeowners to be proactive about protecting themselves against scammers. So they’ve created a completely free Risk Alert Notification System that will alert homeowners whenever a deed, lien, mortgage, or other land record matching your criteria is recorded in Collier County’s official records.

Click here to enroll for free and monitor your properties

Although neither the change in law nor the Risk Alert Notification System can eliminate fraud, it does make it much riskier to attempt and allows you to contact law enforcement immediately if fraud does occur. If you suspect that you’ve been a victim of property fraud, call the Collier County Sheriff’s Office at (239) 252-9300.

At Nici Law Firm, we care about protecting your property and other aspects of your estate, both now and for the future of your family. For questions about other means of asset protection and estate planning, call James Nici today at (239) 449-6150.