Property fraud is a rapidly increasing white-collar crime, according to the FBI. This type of fraud occurs when someone illegally uses your property for financial gain, often by recording fraudulent documents such as deeds or liens against your property in the Official Records of the St. Johns County Clerk’s Office.
To combat this growing threat, the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts offers a FREE Recording Activity Notification service. This alert system acts as an early warning, notifying you if any document is recorded in the Official Records under your name. Subscribers to this free service can then take swift action if they identify any potentially fraudulent activity.
Sign up for FREE property fraud alerts today!
Explore the benefits of signing up for fraud alerts with the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Property Fraud Alerts from St. Johns County Clerk of Courts
1. How do the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts Property Fraud Alerts work?
Once you register for this complimentary service offered by the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts, you will receive an email notification whenever a document is recorded in the St. Johns County Official Records that includes your name. This email alert from the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts will specify the document type, book and page number, recording date, and name associated with the recording. With this information, you can then use the Clerk’s Official Records Search to review the document and determine if it is legitimate or potentially fraudulent. It is important to note that this alert system is specific to documents recorded within the Official Records of St. Johns County and requires a valid email address for notifications.
2. What information is needed to sign up for fraud alerts with the St. Johns County Clerk?
Registering for property fraud alerts with the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts is simple. You only need to provide your first and last name, and optionally, a business or trust name if applicable. An email address is required to receive the alerts. If you use variations of your name (e.g., Mike instead of Michael), it is recommended to submit a separate registration for each name variation. You do not need to provide any other personal information to enroll in this service. For optimal results, the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts suggests checking the Official Records to see how your name is currently indexed before signing up. The indexing format is typically LAST NAME FIRST NAME MIDDLE NAME AND/OR INITIAL, SUFFIX. Refer to FAQ #7 for detailed name registration guidance.
3. Can I register for St. Johns County Clerk of Courts fraud alerts if I don’t own property in St. Johns County?
Yes, you can still sign up for the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts property fraud alerts even if you do not currently own property in St. Johns County. If a document is recorded with your name in the St. Johns County Official Records for any reason, you will receive an email notification.
4. If I have a common name, how will I differentiate my alerts from others with the same name from the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts?
The St. Johns County Clerk of Courts system alerts based on name matching and does not differentiate between individuals with identical names. Therefore, if you have a common name like “Jane Doe,” you might receive alerts for documents recorded under the same name, even if they do not pertain to you. To determine the relevance of an alert, you will need to review the document details provided in the email notification using the online Official Records Search of the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts. This will allow you to assess whether the recorded document is actually related to you or your property.
5. How do I view a document after receiving a fraud alert from the St. Johns County Clerk?
The alert email from the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts will contain the document number, which corresponds to the Book and Page number in the Official Records. You can use this information to easily locate and view the document online through the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts Official Records search portal.
6. I am not receiving alerts from the St. Johns County Clerk, even though documents with my name have been recorded. What should I do?
If you are not receiving alerts from the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts, the most common reason is that you have not yet confirmed your subscription. After signing up, you must click the confirmation link sent to the email address you provided during registration. This confirmation step is essential to activate your alerts. If you have confirmed your subscription and are still not receiving alerts, or need further assistance, please contact the St. Johns County Clerk’s Office Recording Division directly at 904-819-3632.
7. How should I enter my name when registering for fraud alerts with the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts?
To ensure accurate registration for fraud alerts with the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts, please avoid using punctuation marks and symbols in your name. The system may not recognize these characters. For example, “Joe’s” should be entered as “Joes,” and “O’Brien” should be entered as “Obrien.” For commas (,), slashes (/), and hyphens (-), remove the punctuation and replace it with a single space. For instance, “Yolanda Ross-Jones” should be entered as “Jones Yolanda Ross.” For periods (.), remove the period and replace it with a single space, with the exception of web addresses (e.g., “Bank.com”), where the period should be retained.
Example of name formatting for St. Johns County Clerk of Courts fraud alerts registration
Service Disclaimer: The property fraud alert service provided by the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts is a notification system and does not guarantee the prevention of fraud. It is a tool to help property owners monitor their recorded documents and take timely action if necessary.
