Alameda County, Calif., Launches Program to Combat Real Estate Fraud
January 25, 2024
Alameda County, Calif., has launched a free program to help protect homeowners from potential fraudulent activity affecting property ownership.
How it works: When the title of a property is transferred to another person, from the filing of a grant deed or quitclaim deed at the Alameda County Clerk-Recorder Office, a letter from the District Attorney’s Office is automatically generated and mailed to notify the owner of the transfer. The letter also includes a copy of the first five pages of the document that triggered the notification. Homeowners who are not aware of the transfer are asked to contact the District Attorney Real Estate Fraud Unit to have the matter investigated, prosecuted and ultimately voided by the Court.
“The goal of this program is to protect the most valuable asset a person in Alameda County can have, and that’s their home. All too often, white-collar thieves target the equity earned by seniors in our community who purchased their homes many years ago,” said Pamela Price, Alameda County district attorney. “This free program is designed to proactively investigate, prosecute and void any fraudulent transfer.”
Several counties across the country have implemented similar systems alerting homeowners about documents recorded against their property.
Contact ALTA at 202-296-3671 or [email protected].