Home Title Theft: What You Need to Know to Protect Yourself

Scams and fraud are nothing new; however, as a homeowner, you need to be aware thieves are committing Home Title Theft, and you may not know until you receive a foreclosure notice.

By stealing snippets of your personal information, like your address and Social Security Number, thieves create fake deeds and convert ownership out of the rightful owners’ names. They use stolen identities and forged signatures to apply for refinancing on your mortgage. Scammers can withdraw your equity, leaving you with another mortgage, or can access your equity though a home equity line of credit, leaving you responsible for the debt.

Protecting Your Home

You can register with the Filing Activity Notification System (FANS) through the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. The system notifies you when certain real estate and personal property records are filed with, indexed, and data is transmitted by Clerks of Superior Court throughout Georgia.

Registration takes less than five minutes and only requires basic information. You can also register for additional notifications for investment properties you own in different counties. Visit https://fans.gsccca.org/.

Best Practices to Prevent Identity Theft and Avoid Scams

• Keep track of your mail and bills you receive.
• Protect your email account, as this can be used to reset passwords for online services.
• Use unique passwords for all accounts by using a password manager to generate and store logins and passwords.
• Use two-factor authentication whenever possible.
• Be wary of links sent to you in emails or text messages.
• Monitor your credit annually at annualcreditreport.com.
• Enable all of the alerts and notifications available on your bank accounts and credit cards.

If you have additional questions, please contact the experts at Henssler Financial. We will be glad to help:

• Experts Request Form
• Email: experts@henssler.com
• Phone: 770-429-9166

This article is for demonstrative and academic purposes and is meant to provide valuable background information on particular investments, NOT a recommendation to buy. The investments referenced within this article may currently be traded by Henssler Financial. All material presented is compiled from sources believed to be reliable and current, but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. The contents are intended for general information purposes only. Information provided should not be the sole basis in making any decisions and is not intended to replace the advice of a qualified professional, such as a tax consultant, insurance adviser or attorney. Although this material is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with respect to the subject matter, it may not apply in all situations. Readers are urged to consult with their adviser concerning specific situations and questions. This is not to be construed as an offer to buy or sell any financial instruments. It is not our intention to state, indicate or imply in any manner that current or past results are indicative of future profitability or expectations. As with all investments, there are associated inherent risks. Please obtain and review all financial material carefully before investing. Henssler is not licensed to offer or sell insurance products, and this overview is not to be construed as an offer to purchase any insurance products.