Gaston County Register of Deeds Jonathan Fletcher has partnered with EquityProtect to help homeowners fight against deed and title fraud, including seller impersonation, a scheme on the rise around the County and nationwide.
Through a new partnership, local property owners get free Enhanced Monitoring via EquityProtect, which pairs recording notifications with scans of real estate sales and rental sites for suspicious listings of their property. The offering comes as multiple cases of fraudulent title and deed activity were reported in Gaston County over the last year. Federal prosecutors in the Western District of North Carolina recently prosecuted a multistate scheme that used fraudulent deeds and stolen identities to target 19 properties worth more than $1.4 million, including some in the Charlotte area.
Seller impersonation has become easier to attempt. A criminal pretends to be the owner, then tries to sell the property or borrow money against it, often using forged or stolen IDs. Vacant land, empty homes, and properties with no mortgage are favorite targets because owners may not notice the fraud until a deal is well underway.
According to the American Land Title Association, 59% of title companies reported at least one seller impersonation attempt in the prior year, up from 28% two years earlier.
Gaston County is the first county in North Carolina to offer this protection to homeowners.
“Since taking office, I have seen firsthand how property scams can cause havoc for homeowners,” said Fletcher.
“Until now, property owners have not had a reliable way to monitor and prevent recordings related to their property before the fraud occurs. I’m proud to be the first Register of Deeds in the state to forge this partnership that gives Gaston County citizens more options to protect what they own.”
Fletcher emphasized that due to legal limitations, a North Carolina Register of Deeds do not have the ability to restrict or reject documents if they are suspected of being fake. His office is required to record documents – real and fraudulent – as long as they meet formatting requirements.
“That’s what makes this new offering so innovative. Rather than falling victim to these schemes and being reactive, it will empower local homeowners to never allow it to happen in the first place,” said Fletcher.
Residents can get more protection through EquityProtect’s Proactive Title Lock service, which is available at a discount thanks to the County’s partnership. This service records documents tied to the property’s legal description and requires multifactor identity verification before a property can be sold or refinanced. Each protected property is also backed by up to $1 million in insurance coverage.
County residents who want to learn more or sign up for EquityProtect can visit GastonGov.com/PropertyFraud or call the Register of Deeds at 704-862-7680. The Gaston County Register of Deeds Office is located inside the Gaston County Courthouse, 325 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Gastonia.