Posted: | April 2, 2024 02:36 PM |
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From: | Representative Craig T. Staats and Rep. Zachary Mako |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Records Notification Service Act |
Recently, a number of our constituents have contacted us to express concerns regarding the unlawful and highly dishonest practice of deed fraud, whereby criminals forge a homeowner’s signature on a deed and file it with the county recorder of deeds. Once the deed is filed with the recorder’s office, these criminals will often attempt to defraud mortgage lenders into loaning money against the home, thereby compelling the homeowner to repay the loan or risk foreclosure. While several recorders in this Commonwealth have recently introduced services to notify homeowners of any recording tending to affect a right or interest in real property in response to this issue, there is no statutory mandate requiring these entities to establish such a service. Accordingly, we intend to introduce a bill to require county recorder of deeds to establish a records notification service that is capable of alerting homeowners of any recording that affects any right, title, or interest in real property. Upon registering for this service, a homeowner will receive a text or email within 24 hours of any such recording. This legislation will protect homeowners from falling victim to these fraudulent schemes and deter criminals from engaging in this unlawful practice. Please join us in co-sponsoring this important piece of legislation to better protect our Commonwealth. |
Introduced as HB2230