Homeowner Alert Can Help Prevent Fraud
By Jeff Prang
Los Angeles County Assessor
I’d like to remind readers this time about Homeowner Alert, an innovative program designed to help property owners stay informed of key activity on their property—within 48 hours—through email notifications.
Launched last year, Homeowner Alert is an extension of Los Angeles County’s existing Fraud Notification Program, which notifies property owners of recorded activity on their property. By registering an email address, owners will receive prompt alerts whenever a foreclosure, title transfer, or mortgage is recorded with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office. This timely notification provides an early warning of potential real estate fraud, such as a fraudulently recorded deed.
This program is a collaborative effort between my office, the County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, and the County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs. Property owners can register at assessor.lacounty.gov/news-information/enotification.
Previously, the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office mailed notifications within 30 days after a Grant Deed, Quitclaim Deed, or Deed of Trust was recorded. Notices regarding foreclosure, such as a Notice of Default or Notice of Sale, were mailed within five days. With Homeowner Alert, owners now receive an email notification within 48 hours—offering a faster and more convenient way to stay informed while still receiving traditional mail notices.
Dean C. Logan, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, praised the program, noting that prompt digital notifications empower homeowners to take immediate action if needed to protect their property from fraudulent activity.
To enroll, homeowners can create a profile at assessor.lacounty.gov/news-information/enotification.
If you have questions about a notification or suspect fraudulent activity, contact the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs at (800) 593-8222 or email homehelp@dcba.lacounty.gov.
These enhancements are part of our commitment to modernizing services and improving accessibility for property owners. Our office is also encouraging property owners, including those impacted by the wildfires, to register for a personal e-Service account associated with their property on our website.
By registering a personal and confidential account, property owners can keep the Assessor’s Office informed of their contact information and access the status of Homeowners’ Exemption claims and Change of Mailing Address Requests they have submitted. Without updated contact information, the Assessor’s Office will be forced to rely on the mailing address for a property, which may have been destroyed in the fire. Property owners can create an account on the Assessor’s website under “My Account.”
Additionally, with an e-Service account, property owners no longer need to rely solely on traditional mail, phone calls, or in-person visits, although those options remain available and useful. Instead, they can access services instantly via their email-linked account.
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Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang was first elected in 2014. Upon taking office, Prang implemented sweeping reforms to ensure that the strictest ethical guidelines rooted in fairness, accuracy and integrity would be adhered to in his office, which is the largest office of its kind in the nation with about 1,400 employees and provides the foundation for a property tax system that can generate about $20 billion annually.
