Deb Wright, Kosciusko County recorder, told the county commissioners Tuesday about home fraud prevention being offered to property owners.
“Our software company, CSI, has partnered with a company called Equity Protect, and it’s a pro-active approach to property fraud,” she said. “What they do, real briefly, is that they file a UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) lien. The theory is, if somebody is trying to take your property to finance it, get money out of it, that’s a red flag when they do title work. So then the process stops and that prevents somebody from stealing your property.”
There are three different levels to the fraud prevention. The first is a free level, with a free risk assessment, and then there are a couple paid levels.
“If you have a paid level, and something does get through, they will actually provide assistance in getting that reversed,” Wright said.
There’s no cost to the county, she said, it’s just a more pro-active way to approach property fraud.
The paid levels are paid by the property owners.
Commissioner Bob Conley asked if the service was available to anybody and everybody. Wright said it was available to anyone in Kosciusko County.
“It’s pretty new in the state. I think we’re like the second county to do this officially, so it’s pretty new. But anybody in Kosciusko County would be able to access it,” she stated.
The recorder’s office gets many questions about property fraud, she said.
“We’re hearing more and more about property fraud all the time,” Conley said.
“All the time,” Wright agreed.
To get started, and for a free risk assessment with no obligation, property owners can go online at www.equityprotect.com/county-recorder/kosciuskoin