Deed fraud doesn't require a sophisticated hacker. It requires a notary stamp, a printer, and a county recorder that, by law, has to accept properly formatted documents. The good news: every Illinois county has free tools to detect and reverse it. You just need to use them.

Cook County does things differently. The old Cook County Recorder of Deeds was absorbed into the Cook County Clerk's Office in December 2020, so all property recording, fraud alerts, and deed searches now run through the Clerk. Cook County does NOT use the statewide propertyfraudalert.com system; it runs its own dedicated Property Fraud Unit with a separate sign-up portal.

Sign up for Cook County Property Fraud Alert

This is the single most important action a Cook County homeowner can take. Cook County Property Fraud Alert is free, runs through the Cook County Clerk's Office, Recordings Division, and notifies you when any document is recorded under your name or against your property.

Direct sign-up: cookcountyclerkil.gov/recordings/property-fraud-unit
Sign up by phone: 312-603-4000

Cook County Clerk's Office, Recordings Division: contact info

What to do if you suspect fraud in Cook County

1. Call the Cook County Clerk's Office, Recordings Division at 312-603-5050 (or the Property Fraud Unit at 312-603-4000) and ask to file a fraud review request.
2. File a police report with the local department where the property is located.
3. Contact your title insurance company. If you have an owner's policy, they typically defend against forged deeds.
4. Hire a real estate attorney. Reversing a fraudulent deed usually involves a quiet title action.
5. Report to the Illinois Attorney General consumer fraud division. If electronic communication was involved, also file with IC3.gov.

Communities served

The Cook County Clerk's Office, Recordings Division covers all properties in Cook County, including Chicago, Evanston, Skokie, Cicero, Berwyn, Oak Park, Forest Park, Melrose Park, River Forest, Maywood, Bellwood, Hillside, Westchester, Broadview, Stone Park, Northlake, Franklin Park, Schiller Park, Rosemont, Park Ridge, Niles, Morton Grove, Lincolnwood, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glenview, Northbrook, Northfield, Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Arlington Heights, Palatine, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Elk Grove Village, Tinley Park, Orland Park, Oak Lawn, Burbank, Oak Forest, Country Club Hills, Matteson, Homewood, Flossmoor, and many other communities throughout Cook County.

DuPage County has one of the most active fraud-prevention programs in Illinois. As of 2026, the Recorder's Office runs a free Property Fraud Alert system that notifies subscribers by phone, email, or text whenever a document is recorded under their name, plus a formal Fraud Review and Referral process under Illinois statute 55 ILCS 5/3-5010.5.

Sign up for Property Fraud Alert

This is the single most important action a DuPage County homeowner can take. Property Fraud Alert is free, runs through the DuPage County Recorder's Office, and notifies you when any document is recorded under your name or against your property.

Direct sign-up: dupagecounty.gov — Property Fraud Alert
Sign up by phone: 1-800-728-3858

DuPage County Recorder: contact info

What to do if you suspect fraud in DuPage County

1. Call the DuPage County Recorder's Office at 630-407-5400 and ask to file a fraud review request.
2. File a police report with the local department where the property is located.
3. Contact your title insurance company. If you have an owner's policy, they typically defend against forged deeds.
4. Hire a real estate attorney. Reversing a fraudulent deed usually involves a quiet title action.
5. Report to the Illinois Attorney General consumer fraud division. If electronic communication was involved, also file with IC3.gov.

Communities served

The DuPage County Recorder's Office covers all properties in DuPage County, including Wheaton, Naperville, Downers Grove, Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn, Lombard, Addison, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Hinsdale, Oak Brook, Lisle, Westmont, Villa Park, Bensenville, Itasca, Roselle, Warrenville, Winfield, Woodridge, Burr Ridge, Clarendon Hills, Darien, Wood Dale, and surrounding communities.

Kane County calls its fraud-monitoring program PROPERTY WATCH. It's a free service from the Kane County Recorder's Office that emails you whenever a document is recorded against your property, with a direct link to view the document at no charge.

Sign up for PROPERTY WATCH

This is the single most important action a Kane County homeowner can take. PROPERTY WATCH is free, runs through the Kane County Recorder's Office, and notifies you when any document is recorded under your name or against your property.

Direct sign-up: kanecountyrecorder.net
Sign up by phone: 630-232-5949

Kane County Recorder: contact info

What to do if you suspect fraud in Kane County

1. Call the Kane County Recorder's Office at 630-232-5949 and ask to file a fraud review request.
2. File a police report with the local department where the property is located.
3. Contact your title insurance company. If you have an owner's policy, they typically defend against forged deeds.
4. Hire a real estate attorney. Reversing a fraudulent deed usually involves a quiet title action.
5. Report to the Illinois Attorney General consumer fraud division. If electronic communication was involved, also file with IC3.gov.

Communities served

The Kane County Recorder's Office covers all properties in Kane County, including Aurora, Elgin, St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia, Carpentersville, South Elgin, North Aurora, Sugar Grove, Hampshire, Pingree Grove, Huntley (Kane portion), Algonquin (Kane portion), Sleepy Hollow, East Dundee, West Dundee, Maple Park, Big Rock, Burlington, and surrounding Fox Valley communities.

Lake County's Property Fraud Alert program runs through the County Clerk's Recording Division, on a modern GovOS system that launched in August 2025. The system replaced older infrastructure and brought modern search tools plus the fraud alert subscription.

Sign up for Property Fraud Alert (via GovOS)

This is the single most important action a Lake County homeowner can take. It is free, runs through the Lake County Clerk's Office, Recording Division, and notifies you when any document is recorded under your name or against your property.

Direct sign-up: lakecountyil.gov — Recording Division
Sign up by phone: 847-377-2400

Lake County Clerk's Office, Recording Division: contact info

What to do if you suspect fraud in Lake County

1. Call the Lake County Clerk's Office, Recording Division at 847-377-2575 and ask to file a fraud review request.
2. File a police report with the local department where the property is located.
3. Contact your title insurance company. If you have an owner's policy, they typically defend against forged deeds.
4. Hire a real estate attorney. Reversing a fraudulent deed usually involves a quiet title action.
5. Report to the Illinois Attorney General consumer fraud division. If electronic communication was involved, also file with IC3.gov.

Communities served

The Lake County Clerk's Office, Recording Division covers all properties in Lake County, including Waukegan, North Chicago, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Mundelein, Vernon Hills, Buffalo Grove (Lake portion), Gurnee, Zion, Antioch, Round Lake, Round Lake Beach, Grayslake, Lindenhurst, Lake Villa, Wauconda, Lake Zurich, Hawthorn Woods, Long Grove, Deerfield, Highwood, Bannockburn, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods, and surrounding North Shore communities.

McHenry County has run a free Property Fraud Alert program for years, and recently went a step further. As of 2026, after a property owner is alerted to a suspicious filing, the McHenry County State's Attorney's Office, the Sheriff's Office, and the FBI when needed will begin an investigation. The county also launched a new Fraud Referral and Review process in early 2026.

Sign up for Property Fraud Alert

This is the single most important action a McHenry County homeowner can take. It is free, runs through the McHenry County Clerk and Recorder's Office, and notifies you when any document is recorded under your name or against your property.

Direct sign-up: mchenrycountyil.gov — Property Fraud Alert
Sign up by phone: 1-800-728-3858

McHenry County Clerk and Recorder: contact info

What to do if you suspect fraud in McHenry County

1. Call the McHenry County Clerk and Recorder's Office at 815-334-4110 and ask to file a fraud review request.
2. File a police report with the local department where the property is located.
3. Contact your title insurance company. If you have an owner's policy, they typically defend against forged deeds.
4. Hire a real estate attorney. Reversing a fraudulent deed usually involves a quiet title action.
5. Report to the Illinois Attorney General consumer fraud division. If electronic communication was involved, also file with IC3.gov.

Communities served

The McHenry County Clerk and Recorder's Office covers all properties in McHenry County, including Crystal Lake, Algonquin, McHenry, Woodstock, Cary, Lake in the Hills, Huntley, Marengo, Harvard, Johnsburg, Lakewood, Wonder Lake, Spring Grove, Richmond, Hebron, Union, Bull Valley, Greenwood, Ringwood, and surrounding northwest suburban communities.

Will County's Property Fraud Alert is a free service from the Recorder's Office that notifies you by email, text, or phone any time a document is recorded with your name on it. Recorder Karen A. Stukel has issued multiple public reminders encouraging Will County homeowners to enroll, particularly given the rise in property fraud cases across the Chicago metro.

Sign up for Property Fraud Alert

This is the single most important action a Will County homeowner can take. It is free, runs through the Will County Recorder's Office, and notifies you when any document is recorded under your name or against your property.

Direct sign-up: propertyfraudalert.com/ILWill
Sign up by phone: 1-800-728-3858

Will County Recorder: contact info

What to do if you suspect fraud in Will County

1. Call the Will County Recorder's Office at 815-740-4637 and ask to file a fraud review request.
2. File a police report with the local department where the property is located.
3. Contact your title insurance company. If you have an owner's policy, they typically defend against forged deeds.
4. Hire a real estate attorney. Reversing a fraudulent deed usually involves a quiet title action.
5. Report to the Illinois Attorney General consumer fraud division. If electronic communication was involved, also file with IC3.gov.

Communities served

The Will County Recorder's Office covers all properties in Will County, including Joliet, Bolingbrook, Plainfield, Naperville (Will portion), Romeoville, Lockport, New Lenox, Frankfort, Mokena, Tinley Park (Will portion), Orland Park (Will portion), Crest Hill, Shorewood, Channahon, Minooka (Will portion), Wilmington, Manhattan, Peotone, Beecher, Monee, Crete, University Park, and surrounding south and southwest suburban communities.