The Vanguard Property Alert is a free real property fraud alert service offered by the Nueces County Clerk, Kara Sands. It is designed to notify you of any potentially fraudulent claims or transactions related to real property in Nueces County, Texas.
Here’s how it works and what you should know:
- Purpose: The service aims to reduce fraudulently recorded documents that could affect your property ownership. It provides an early warning system against potential property fraud, which is described as a fast-growing crime similar to identity theft, but with the added risk of losing your property.
- Notifications: By creating an alert record, you will receive email notifications anytime your personal or business entity name is used in a real property filing within Nueces County. The alert notification will contain details like the county location, document number, document type, recorded date, and the matched party name.
- Sign-up: To sign up, you need to visit the Nueces County public search website and click on the “Fraud Alert” link. The website address is https://nueces.tx.publicsearch.us/. Some information also mentions a toll-free number (800-728-3858) for assistance with signing up.
- Important Considerations:
- Common Names: Be aware that using a common name for monitoring may result in multiple notifications if there are others with the same name.
- Name Variations: If your name has different spellings or variations (e.g., business names), it’s recommended to create separate entries for each variation.
- Multiple Counties: The service is county-specific, so if you own property in multiple counties, you’ll need to subscribe individually for each county.
- Data Privacy: Information entered into the system is used exclusively for tracking and notification of recording activity and is not sold to other individuals or companies.
- Contact Information: For any questions about the Vanguard Property Alert, you can contact the Deed Records Department at (210) 335-2273.
This service provides a valuable tool for property owners in Nueces County to stay informed about activity related to their property and proactively protect themselves against potential fraud.