Just as Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced that identity theft complaints claimed the top category on her office’s Top 10 Consumer Complaint List for the second year in a row, Kane County Recorder Sandy Wegman is alerting homeowners of an identity theft scheme occurring in Kane County.

According to Wegman's office, some property titles are being transferred via quitclaim deed through identity theft.  To combat this fraud, the Recorder's Office has initiated a program in which residents will be notified by mail of any property ownership changes, thereby alerting them to possible identity theft.

Another scam against homeowners on the rise in Kane County is the sale of deed information to them at a cost of $79.50, solicited via mailed offers.  According to Wegman's office, residents can print out their own property deeds for free, online at the Recorder's Office Website. Her office also sells certified copies for $25 and uncertified copies for $1 a page.