Oakland County, Michigan, October 11, 2006 -- When it comes to stealing, criminals these days are saying there's no place like home - yours.

Ruth Johnson, the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds, this week announced a new, free online service for homeowners to help them protect their homes against real estate criminals.

FRAUDCHECK will allow homeowners to go online, enter their name and check to see whether any unauthorized documents have been recorded with the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds Office in the last 12 months.

The program, to begin Nov. 15, is believed to be the first of its kind in the country.

"It's just one more tool in the tool bag to fight these guys," said Johnson, who announced the new, free service Wednesday at a seminar for seniors on real estate fraud. More than 230 seniors attended the seminar, held at the Older Persons' Commission in Rochester.

Panelists Wednesday included State Rep. Fran Amos (R-Waterford) the FBI, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, the Michigan Mortgage Bankers Association and local housing and appraisal experts.

FRAUDCHECK will allow online viewers the opportunity to see whether any documents, including quit-claim deeds, mortgages, and warranty deeds, have been recorded with the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds Office.

The service is available seven-days-a-week, 24-hours a day.

If homeowners want to conduct further searches there is a $5 fee. To view/print costs $1 per document.

"This may be something that people want to remember to check on the daylight savings time schedule - twice a year in the fall and the spring," Johnson said. "When you change your clock, check on your home on the internet."

Oakland County victims have discovered that their homes, withouth their knowledge, had been bought, sold and mortgaged with fraudulent documents. They find out when banks come to foreclose - leaving them with an expensive legal mess to untangle. Seniors are often targeted because their homes are paid off, Johnson said.

"Imagine having to prove that the home where you raised your children, that you've worked your whole life to pay for, is really your home." Johnson said. "It can be devastating for victims."

Under state law, the Register of Deeds Office must accept documents if they are properly filled out. But officials around the country - especially those in areas with skyrocketing fraud rates - have tried different means to notify homeowners if there is activity on their homes.

In Cook County, Illinois, mortgage fraud is so rampant that officials promised to send out postcards to homeowners when property titles are transferred. (Chicago Tribune, Dec. 2005). In some cases, however, criminals were able to circumvent that notification system.

"With our system, homeowners can check any time of the day or night to see if anything has happened with their property," Johnson said.

FRAUDCHECK will be available through www.landaccess.com. The web site is operated by the New York-based Affiliated Computer Services, which works with the Oakland County Clerk/Register's Office in electronically recording documents.

Anyone without computer access, as always, is welcome to come to the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds Office, 1200 N. Telegraph Rd. in Pontiac. Our staff will be happy to assist them in checking on their property.