Clark County Auditor’s Office launches identity theft program

The Clark County Auditor’s Office is launching a new program to help protect against identity theft.

The county implemented a software recording program, called Landmark, that sends an email notification when a document is recorded with a person’s name, address, property ID number, business name or property legal description. Anyone can enroll in the program at no charge.

One example of identity theft using a public record is title theft. Although it makes up only a fraction of identity theft cases, title theft can happen and it’s costly. According to a 2017 report from the FBI, 9,600 cases of real estate theft were reported that year costing victims over $56 million.

“Property owners occasionally contact us with concerns that documents may have been recorded against their property without their knowledge,” Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey said in a prepared statement.

Kimsey said the new recording system has also made it easier for people to search for recorded documents.

To sign up for the program, go to https://clark.wa.gov/auditor/recording-overview.

Users will need to provide an email address and use some or all of the following criteria: name, business name, address, parcel number/property ID number or abbreviated property legal description.

Residents can find their property ID number, parcel number and the abbreviated legal description on the Property Information Center at https://gis.clark.wa.gov/gishome/property.

If a document is recorded under the same name, address, property ID number or abbreviated legal description, an email notification will automatically be sent to the customer at the email provided when they enroll.