Woke up this morning to this news, ID Theft Hits Home, at Realty Times. Kind of scary to think that ID thieves can now take your home, and you might not even know it.
I’ve been a LifeLock subscriber for several years and have felt secure that my ID is safe, but now to read that I need to check and make sure I still own my home, to verify that someone hasn’t lifted my house, is really kind of creepy.
As Realtor, I’m in the tax record database on a regular basis and know how to keep an eye on my home’s records, but some of you may need to know that you can check county records easily, and for yourself.
The Maricopa County Tax map is an excellent tool where you can check the title on your house and also the status of your tax bill. Even though your lender may be the one paying your property tax bill, it’s always a good idea to make sure that you are up-to-date on your payments. Loans do get sold, and problems can occur.
The second web site to check is the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office. Here you can search on your name and view legal transactions that have occurred in your name. You should find the mortgage and deed of trust to purchase your house, and if your home has been sold, you will (or should) also see a mortgage release.
So in this day and age of information, please take the time to protect yourself against ID theft. It’s a smart thing to do.
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