Real Estate Fraud Title Theft— How to Protect Yourself

In recent years, property owners in Georgia (and nationwide) have increasingly found themselves vulnerable to a range of real-estate frauds. One particularly fast growing scam is title theft - when a criminal impersonates a property owner and sells or takes out a second mortgage on the owner’s property… the home goes into foreclosure and/or is deeded to a new purchaser.

The risks extend beyond the house you live in. Fraudsters may target personal property, liens, plats, or other filings related to your assets. For example, a loan might be taken out against your property without your knowledge, or a deed changed quietly in public filings.

Why is this happening more? A few contributing factors:

• Many filings are publicly indexed, meaning they can be viewed (or exploited) without deep oversight.

• State and local systems are increasingly digitized, increasing the speed of filings and the ability of fraudsters to act quickly.

• Some property owners don’t actively monitor what’s happening in the clerk’s office until an issue arises.

The bottom line: Just because you own a property doesn’t mean you’re always watching what’s being recorded in the clerk’s index. If someone files something related to your name you may not even be aware of it until it’s too late

How do you Protect Yourself

Fortunately, in Georgia, there is an under-utilised but effective FREE tool to help monitor this risk: the Filing Activity Notification System (FANS) run by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA).

Here’s how it works:

• It’s a voluntary, free system that allows you to register a name(s), property address, or other identifiers.

• Once registered, you receive an email and/or text notification whenever a filing (with your registered criteria) is made in a clerk’s index — whether for real estate, personal property, liens, plats, etc…

• You will get alerted if something shows up in your name — giving you a chance to investigate before hopefully any major damage is done.

• If you get an alert you don’t recognize, treat it as a red-flag: contact your clerk’s office, check the document, and if necessary reach out to a real estate attorney.

How to Get Started with FANS

1. Go to the portal: fans.gsccca.org (or search “FANS Georgia” in your county)

2. Register your account — typically you’ll provide an email or phone number, your name or the name you want to monitor, and (optionally) property address or other parameters.

3. Choose the types of filings to monitor (real estate deeds, liens, personal property, plats) and the geographic area (county or statewide, depending on the service).

4. Once set up, you’ll get notifications when matching filings are indexed.

5. If you receive a notification:

   • Log into the clerk’s index or contact the Clerk of Superior Court to view the actual document.

   • If you don’t recognize the filing, act promptly — it may indicate fraudulent activity.

   • Keep documentation of your alert and any next steps (e.g., contacting your attorney or the clerk’s office).

6. Continue to monitor your property and credit (if relevant) as additional safeguards.

Why This Matters for You

If you own real estate or significant personal property in Georgia, it’s no longer enough to just “hope” nothing happens. Fraudsters are opportunistic, and the consequences of failing to act can be serious: large legal bills, damage to your credit, loss of your home, or having to fight off claims by a new purchaser.

By using FANS, you gain a simple, free early warning system. Every property owner should think of it as one layer of protection in their overall risk management plan. It doesn’t stop fraud — but it gives you time to respond.

If you’re a property owner in Georgia and haven’t yet enrolled, consider doing it today.