Fraud alert system to launch in Wake County, here's how to sign up: 'It's not a stopgap'

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A new fraud alert system for Wake County property owners is set to go live on Monday. It's a system by the Wake County Register of Deeds that alerts you if anyone records a document in your name.

While there is a fraud alert system in place already, with the new system, you must register again, even if you're already signed up for fraud alerts in Wake County.

Tammy Brunner with the Wake County Register of Deeds says, "It's an entire land record system. Everything is changing about our land record system, and it's included in this new fraud alert system."

Once a property owner signs up for the fraud alert system, it alerts them if anyone files paperwork on their property.

"It's an alert. It's not a stopgap. So now after I get that email, I know that something has happened to something that I own, some property that I own, and the best thing is to call our office the next day, and we'll start moving towards how to figure out what your next steps will be," Brunner adds.

The importance of these fraud alerts came to light after a Troubleshooter investigation where a stranger filed a deed to a four-million-dollar North Raleigh home she didn't own. Dawn Mangum filed a deed in her name to Craig Adams's multi-million-dollar home.

Mangum is facing criminal charges of attempting to obtain property under false pretenses and forgery of deeds and has pleaded not guilty as the case works through the court system. Adams took Mangum to civil court, where a judge ruled the deed was fraudulent and ordered Mangum to pay Adams attorney fees for the civil case.

Since the ITEAM uncovered his case, Adams has pushed for changes to prevent deed fraud.

"Now, legislators are very in tune to what is happening and are all trying to really write legislation to protect homeowners more," Brunner tells ABC11.

Six proposed bills have been introduced by North Carolina lawmakers that involve title and deed fraud. While those bills are debated, Brunner urges property owners to sign up for the new fraud alert system, as they get an alert right away.

"You know immediately, and you can try to start stopping things before anything actually changes hands. I mean, know that everything is not recorded in this office, and then there are other steps that have to happen for titles, deeds to actually change ownership. So you could get it before all of that happens."

Again, even if you already signed up for the current system in Wake County, it does not carry over. You need to sign up again for the fraud alert new system, which you can do here.

If you own property in a county other than Wake County, check with your county Register of Deeds Office on how you can sign up for property fraud alerts.