Montgomery County recorder urges Dayton residents to sign up for deed‑fraud alerts

A representative of the Montgomery County Recorder’s Office on July 23 asked Dayton officials and residents to enroll in a free fraud‑alert notification program designed to alert property owners to suspicious activity affecting deeds and mortgages.

Kate Baker, programs coordinator for the Montgomery County Recorder’s Office, told the commission the county has seen instances of “deed problem” and “false notary fraud,” where bad actors file forged documents to transfer property. Baker said Recorder Kennedy’s office is promoting a fraud‑alert notification signup — available by brochure, QR code or the recorder’s website — which will notify registrants by U.S. mail when a transaction posts against their property; text alerts are coming online, she said.

Baker said recent prosecutions have resulted in jail sentences for two people in the last eight weeks and that the recorder’s office is working with the county prosecutor on prosecutions. She described other recorder programs — transfer‑on‑death recording (designed to pass property directly to named heirs on death), a free notary service and a veterans’ ID card program — and asked the commission and staff to publicize the services. Baker provided the office phone number, (937) 225‑4275, and the recorder’s website, www.mcrecorder.org, for residents seeking information.

Mayor Mims and others thanked Baker; Commissioner Joseph noted he and his family had received fraud alerts and described the program as effective. Baker left printed materials for the commission office and offered to answer follow‑up questions.