Lubbock County Offers Free Email Alerts When Property Documents Are Recorded Under Your Name

The Lubbock County Clerk's office has announced a new tool aimed at helping property owners keep an eye on their records. According to KCBD, the service is called Fraud Notify and is provided through Tyler Technologies.

How it works

Residents register a name with the service. From then on, they receive an automated email whenever a document containing that name is recorded in Lubbock County property records. Registration is free.

The alerts cover deeds, deeds of trust, liens and notices. Court case filings are not included. Notification starts on the date of registration and moves forward, so the service does not report on documents recorded before someone signed up.

What happens after an alert

The email is a heads-up, not the document itself. To look at what was recorded, users must go in person to the County Clerk's office at 904 Broadway, Room 207, in Lubbock, or purchase a copy.

Why it matters to homeowners

Property fraud often goes unnoticed because recorded documents can change the paper trail on a home without the owner being told. An alert that arrives soon after a filing gives an owner a chance to check whether the document is legitimate, such as a refinance or a lien they already knew about, or something unexpected that deserves a closer look.

An alert does not by itself mean anything is wrong. Many recorded documents are routine. The value of the service is in prompting you to look.

What you can do

• Register your name with Fraud Notify if you own property in Lubbock County. Consider registering variations of your name if you have used them on documents.
• Remember the limits. Only documents recorded after you sign up will trigger alerts, and court case filings are not covered.
• Review any alert promptly. Visit the County Clerk's office at 904 Broadway, Room 207, or buy a copy of the document.
• Watch your mail for unexpected letters about your property, loans or liens.
• Contact the county and law enforcement if a recorded document looks suspicious or you did not authorize it.
• Check other counties. If you own property elsewhere, see whether that county recorder offers a similar alert.

Source: KCBD