Free property fraud protection may come to all New Jersey homeowners
🔴 New bill would require all New Jersey counties to offer free property fraud alerts.
🔴 Currently, only about half of NJ counties provide these free services.
🔴 Homeowners could get instant notifications if someone tries to tamper with their property title.
New Jersey lawmakers want to make it easier than ever to protect your home against fraud — for free.
"Our biggest investment, for most of us in life, is our home. And the last thing you need is to be tied up in a fight as to who really owns your home," said Sen. Robert Singer, R-Ocean.
His recently introduced bill (S4751) would require each county to create a property fraud alert service.
A simple tool to stop home title theft
Singer said he was inspired after he saw advertisements on television for paid services that offer title insurance and title protection.
However, these services are already offered for free by several county clerk offices in New Jersey, like Ocean and Monmouth counties.
In those two counties, and others, homeowners can register online for property fraud alerts. Then, if anyone tries to mess with their title, the homeowner will immediately receive a notification.
Not every New Jersey county offers free property fraud alerts
But not all 21 counties in New Jersey offer these services. That's where Singer's bill comes in, to expand them to every county by law.
"These are the kind of things, people say, 'Where do my tax dollars go?' To protect you from fraud. A simple thing, a good thing being done in Monmouth and Ocean counties, and it should be statewide," Singer said.
Check if your county offers property fraud alerts
Nearly half of New Jersey's counties offer a property fraud alert program. Check if your county is on the list, then click the county for more information.
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