PHOENIX — The Maricopa Title Alert service notifies property owners by text or email when a document is recorded under a name they are monitoring.
Maricopa County offers a free service that alerts property owners when documents are recorded under names they are monitoring — and officials say more residents should be taking advantage of it.
The service, called Maricopa Title Alert, launched in 2024. Property owners sign up using their email address and receive notifications by text or email when a document is recorded under any name they have registered.
"If a document gets recorded under one of the names that you have registered, then you will get an alert 48 to 72 hours saying this document was recorded,"
Leslie Hoffman, director of recording services at the Maricopa County Recorder's Office, said.
Hoffman said the service is straightforward to use and free of charge. "You sign up for the service. It is a free-of-charge service," Hoffman said.
If a registered user receives an alert, Hoffman advises them to open the link and assess whether the recorded document is legitimate.
"If you open that link and you realize it's not your property, delete it. But if that is your property and that wasn't supposed to be recorded, then you want to contact law enforcement and the attorney general right away," Hoffman said.
Hoffman said it's not based on property addresses; the system is used by name, so any name registered with the service will be notified, so it's not just for homeowners.
She also encourages business owners to use the free alerts, noting that many businesses do not own the property they operate from.
"Many businesses only lease their property; they don't own the property that they operate out of. So, they can register their business, and if anybody records a lien against their business, they too will be notified, just as the homeowner would," Hoffman said.
The alert systems are set up separately by county, but Hoffman said the counties have made it easy for property owners with land in multiple counties to sign up.
"They're all separate, but all of us have each other's link on our websites. So, if you own a piece of property in Maricopa County and you own a piece of property in Hobby County and one in La Paz, you can just go to one website, sign up," Hoffman said.
Hoffman warned that title scams are becoming more sophisticated, with certain types of properties increasingly targeted.
"We're seeing the vacant land and rental properties or second homes are falling into the list of property that these bad actors like to try to get a hold of," Hoffman said.
While the alert system does not prevent fraudulent recordings from happening, Hoffman said it gives property owners the ability to act quickly.
"It's a great protection for people, and it doesn't prevent the recording from happening, but it does alert right away so that you can get action, so that you can start an action on it immediately and save your property," Hoffman said.
About 114,000 people are currently signed up for the free title alert service. With 4.5 million people in the county, Hoffman said there is room for significantly more participation.
Interested in signing up for the title alert service in Maricopa County? Click here.
Here's a list of all county alert services.
