Did you know that every time certain documents are recorded with the Los Angeles County Recorder, this is also reported to the County Assessor?

You may have heard of "title fraud" - this is when someone records a document in the chain of title of Your Home, including recording a document that may transfer your home out of your name, or record a loan against your property - a loan you did not sign up for.

Every time such document is recorded against your property by the County Recorder, they also notify the County Assessor. Up to now, when a Grant Deed, Quit Claim Deed, a Deed of Trust, a Notice of Default, or a Notice of Sale is recorded against your property, the Recorder would mail you a flyer notifying you of this recordation - it is printed on Yellow paper, and it's known as the "Fraud Notification" flyer. This flyer is mailed out within 5 to 30 days after the recordation of such documents.

The Los Angeles County Assessor, in partnership with the County Recorder just announced the ability for homeowners to REGISTER their property, and get this Fraud Notification via email within 48 hours! This is a hugely beneficial tool in the hands of homeowners to be on the lookout for Title Fraud perpetrated against their homes. 

The registration takes a few short minutes, and you need your property's Assessor ID Number (the "APN" or "AIN") to "put" your property on the "watch and notify" list. Your home's AIN is printed on your tax bill - look under "property identification" or Assessor's ID No. to find it. Its format looks like this: XXXX space XXX space XXX (total of 10 numbers)

HERE IS THE USER REGISTRATION LINK to access the Assessor's website to register your property or properties.

It requires that you provide your name, phone and email, and to also CLICK THE OPT-IN box for AIN (assessor identification number) / Recorded Document email notification.

Don't forget to click the "capcha" box.

You will then be prompted to set up a Password, and once you do, you can add the Assessor Parcel Numbers (or, AINs) to register your property or properties for Fraud Notification via email.

We feel this is a great service to the public - placing control in the homeowner's hands to keep tabs on documents recorded against their properties within a 48 hour window.

Mail can get lost, and the Yellow Fraud Notifications Flyer could erroneously be discarded as "junk mail" - but getting an email from the Assessor about a document recorded against title to your Home will surely catch your attention and give you an opportunity to investigate further. Take advantage of this new technology to protect title to your home.