Property Fraud is on the rise in America. Millions of Americans are losing their home or getting swept into lengthy legal battles for their property. This FREE service is provided by the Sedgwick County Register of Deeds to you to help safeguard you against becoming a victim of Property Fraud; by signing up, you are taking the first steps in monitoring your most valuable asset, your home, by being aware of the activity.
Property Fraud Alert Frequently Asked Questions.
What is Property Fraud Alert (PFA)?
Property Fraud Alert is a free notification service that alerts subscribers (via email, text message, or a voice phone call) each time a document is recorded with their name on it in the participating County Land Records office. The subscriber must select one method of notification, an email, text message, or voice call.
How much does it cost?
This service is provided by your County Land Records office and there is no cost for you to use the service.
How many subscription names can I enter?
You may enter as many personal, business, and trust names necessary. You may also monitor multiple names and use the same contact method (e-mail address or phone number) for each. Finally, you may sign up for the same name multiple times but request a different contact method for each time.
Can I enter more than one name at a time?
No. You must make separate subscription entries for each individual name (personal or business). For a married couple or for those persons who share the same last name, you must make individual subscription entries for each person.
My first name is often spelled many ways; how should I enter it?
It is highly recommended that you enter only the first letter of your first name in the first name field. For example, with a name such as Steve, Stephen, or Steven, you may wish to enter the letter "S" in the first name field. Or you may wish to enter the first few letters of your first name to limit the number of first name matches. For example, if the letters "St" are entered, a name match may result for the names Steven, Stan, Stacy, Sterling, etc.
My last name, business name, or trust name is spelled differently on occasion; how should I enter it?
To illustrate, let’s use the last name "Van Buren" as our example. This name may at times be spelled with a space in it ("Van Buren") and at other times with no space ("VanBuren"). For cases like this, it is highly recommended that you make two separate subscription entries with both name variations. For the Property Fraud Alert system to work as intended, and for notification alerts to be sent, the last name spelling, or business name spelling of the subscription name must match exactly.
My last name is very common; will I receive notification alerts that could possibly belong to someone else?
It is very possible to receive an alert that may actually pertain to another individual with the same last name (and first name) as you. Again, make sure you enter the last name spelling exactly.
My name is John Smith Junior (Jr.), how would I enter that into the subscription form?
It is imperative that you DO NOT enter the suffix of your name (Jr., Sr., etc.) while entering your name into the subscription form. Only enter your first name information into the first name field and your last name information into the last name field. The same advice applies with middle names; DO NOT enter a middle name (or middle initial) into the first or last name fields.
I own a business, how should I enter my business name?
Business names should be entered exactly as the business name is spelled; "ACME Printing Company", "Smith & Smith", "XYZ Business Corporation". There may be times, however, that the county may possibly index these names differently. For example, "XYZ Business Corporation" could possibly be indexed as "XYZ Business Corp". In this situation the name match would occur only if you entered "XYZ Business Corp". Therefore, if your business name could contain variations similar to this, we highly recommend that you make an additional subscription entry with that variation.
My property is part of a Trust, how should I enter my trust name?
Trust names should be entered exactly as the trust name is spelled; "JOHN SMITH REVOCABLE TRUST", "JOHN H SMITH REVOCABLE TRUST", "JOHN SMITH LIVING TRUST". There may be times, however, that the county may possibly index these trust names differently. For example, "JOHN H SMITH 2020 TRUST" could possibly be indexed as "JOHN H SMITH TRUST". In this situation the name match would occur only if you entered "JOHN H SMITH TRUST". Therefore, if your trust name could contain variations similar to this, we highly recommend that you make an additional subscription entry with that variation.
What if my name, my email address, or my phone number changes? How do I update my subscription with this new information?
You may subscribe again using your new e-mail address or phone number.
How long does my name remain on the PFA notification list?
Your subscription will remain active indefinitely as long as your county Land Records Office participates in this program.
I own multiple homes and/or property in several different counties; will one subscription entry in one county cover me for all counties?
No. You must subscribe to each county individually. The Property Fraud Alert system is managed county by county. Visit the home page of Property Fraud Alert (www.propertyfraudalert.com) to see the full list of participating counties. If your county is not currently participating in this program you can still express interest in beginning this program in your county.
What information is provided on a PFA alert notification?
The alert notification will contain the following information: County Location; Document Number, Document Type, Recorded Date, and the matched Party Name (personal, business, or trust name)
