Property fraud a real problem in Northeast Florida, county clerks say

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Federal Trade Commission found in a 2019 report that the Sunshine State leads the way when it comes to scams of any kind. Now, county clerks in northeast Florida are trying to prevent property fraud schemes devised to steal your home or business.

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“What was once a South Florida issue ... is now quickly becoming a northeast Florida issue,” said Tara Green, Clay County clerk.

Six clerks of court from our area joined forces on the steps of the Duval County Courthouse Monday to give northeast Florida property owners the tools they need to stop property fraud in its tracks. In a first-ever regional partnership, they’re offering these tools through websites ProtectYourFloridaProperty.com and clerksagainstfraud.com.

“Thieves can steal from you from around the world. They are invisible now because of technology. We might not get to stop them at our door, but we can stop them at yours,” said John Crawford, Nassau County clerk.

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It is free to register to receive the alerts. All you do is pick which county you live in, follow the links there, and then type in your name or business name, phone number, or email.

This is important because the clerks of court say scammers can steal and fake your property deeds, making it appear like they owned that home or business and trick people into giving them money to rent or buy homes.

“We are here to present a unified front against scammers in our communities who seek to steal from our residents,” said Jody Phillips, Duval County clerk. “The FBI has said that property fraud is the fastest-growing white-collar crime in our country. It is something we as clerks feel like we should stay out in front of.”

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If you do receive an alert a fraud contact law enforcement in the county clerks office in which the county you reside in.