Sevier County program eases fraud concerns

The Sevier County Recorder’s Office has worked proactively to solve an ongoing concern of residents regarding fraud-related transactions in Sevier County.

“We personally haven’t seen documents recorded that are fraudulent in our county, however there have been radio ads and scam vendors reaching out to residents of Sevier County regarding title insurance,” said Jason Monroe, Sevier County recorder.

Monroe explained that title insurance does not stop a document from being recorded but notifies the resident after the fact. The county’s implementation of fraud protection is essentially the same service, except it is free to residents.

“We wanted to be supportive of our residents’ concerns regarding the recording of fraudulent documents,” said Monroe. “This new software program allows residents to create a free account and receive email notifications if a document is recorded on their property.”

The fraud guard protection allows residents to customize their notifications based on a business name, individual name or parcel number.

“When a recording takes place and an account is present, the program will email the resident what kind of document was recorded and the document number so it can be easily identified on our website or in the office,” said Monroe.

The software program has only been live for a month but Monroe believes it will offer residents peace of mind regarding the security of their property without having to pay third parties to manage their accounts.

“Buying a home or property is often the biggest financial decision people make in their lives,” said Monroe. “This free program lets our citizens have peace of mind, knowing an email notification will be automatically sent to them when a document is recorded.”

In the instance of notification, the county recorder’s office states they would be grateful to help residents understand the type of document recorded and the steps to take following a potentially fraudulent recording.

To set up your free account, go to docs.sevierutah.net:8443/web/ and select the button box “Fraud Protection.” The software program will prompt you to provide your desired means of contact via email.

“We would be happy to help residents set up their accounts over the phone at 435-893-0410 or in the office,” said Monroe.