What is Maricopa County Title Alert, and is it legit?
It's a real, free service run by the Maricopa County Recorder's Office. You give it the names you want watched. When a document with one of those names is recorded in the county, you get an email, a text or both, in English or Spanish1.
The office launched it in June 2023, a year and a half before a state law required every county recorder to offer one1,8. Then-Recorder Stephen Richer said he built it in-house "such that people wouldn't have to pay for that private service"6.
Maricopa County residents have a Title Alert account, as of October 2026.
Source: Maricopa County Recorder's Office, page read October 13, 2026.
Why some people thought it was a scam: in 2023, an ABC15 viewer got an email about it with a broken link. The office said the first link was incomplete, and ABC15 found the program legitimate7. To be safe, type recorder.maricopa.gov yourself.
How do I sign up for the Maricopa County Recorder title alert?
Go to the Recorder's Title Alert page and fill in a short form. You need an email address and the names to watch. No parcel number and no fee1. The office said sign-up takes less than two minutes2.
- Open the official page. Go to recorder.maricopa.gov/recording/title-alert.html and choose the "Sign Up" tab.
- Enter your email address. Alerts go to this address. Use one you check every day.
- Add each name to watch. Pick "Individual" or "Business," then type the name. Add one entry for every version of it (see the tips below). One account can watch many names1.
- Choose email, text or both. Texts need a US phone number. Message and data rates may apply1.
- Pick English or Español, then submit. Click the link in the activation email to turn the alert on. If it doesn't arrive, check your spam folder.
Which names should you enter?
The Recorder's page says to "enter all variations of your name"1. A deed with a spelling you didn't enter may not trigger an alert. Use this list:
- Your full legal name, as it appears on your deed.
- Each part of a hyphenated last name. The page says to make two separate entries1.
- Your spouse or co-owner, under their own name.
- Any company that owns property, with and without "LLC" or "Inc." The page's example is "ABC Company" and "ABC Company LLC"1.
- The name of your trust, if your home is in one. The form offers only "Individual" or "Business," so entering the trust as a business is our suggestion, not the Recorder's.
What does Maricopa Title Alert miss?
Title Alert tells you after a document is recorded. It can't stop a sale that is still in escrow. ABC15 made the same point in 2023, and AZFamily said in 2026 that the county program "does not prevent a fraudulent filing from happening"9,15. It's still worth having. Here are its limits, from the Recorder's own pages:
- It starts the day you sign up. "This service applies only to documents recorded after sign up"1. Check older records yourself with Recorded Document Search.
- It watches names, not property. A deed using a name you didn't enter can slip past.
- It covers Maricopa County only. If you own land in Pinal, Yavapai or another county, sign up there too. The Title Alert page links to the other counties' alerts1.
- Timing isn't promised. In 2023 the office said alerts come at the end of the day2. Today the page says only, "Message frequency varies"1.
- Nothing comes by mail. The Recorder "does not generate mail for recorded documents"3. Without the alert, no one from the county tells you a deed was recorded.
Most counties' free alerts share these limits. Our guide to Property Fraud Alert explains how they work across the country.
How is Arizona's new Early Real Estate Sales Alert different?
The Early Alert watches pending sales, so it can warn you before closing. It's run by the Arizona Department of Real Estate (ADRE), it's free, and KJZZ reported it was live on August 28, 202614,17. When an escrow officer enters a pending sale, the system checks it against registered properties and alerts the owner14,15.
You can register with your name, property address or parcel number15. The catch: escrow sends a sale in only when the buyer and seller sign ADRE's opt-in form. ADRE says "consumers are not required to register or use the system" and that it "is not a comprehensive registry"16.
| Maricopa Title Alert | State Early Alert (ERAS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | Maricopa County Recorder | Arizona Department of Real Estate |
| Watches | Names you enter | Your property, by name, address or parcel |
| Warns you | After a document is recorded | When escrow enters a pending sale, before closing |
| Covers | Every document recorded in Maricopa County after you sign up | Only sales where escrow sends in the form. Statewide, but voluntary at both ends |
| Sign up | recorder.maricopa.gov | earlyalert.azre.gov |
| Cost | Free | Free |
Sources: Maricopa County Recorder1, Arizona Department of Real Estate16,17, KJZZ14, AZFamily15.
The push for an early alert came partly from Scottsdale broker Debi Gotlieb. A criminal posed as her late father and sold his Scottsdale home. She said getting it back took "a couple of months" and "$20,000"15.
How are deed thieves targeting Scottsdale, Phoenix and other Valley owners?
Recent Valley cases follow one pattern: an empty property, an owner who lives elsewhere, and a fake seller. Arizona's Attorney General has warned that vacant homes, rentals owned by companies, out-of-state owners and homes where the owner recently died are the main targets. Owners who live in their homes and have a mortgage are less likely to be targeted13.
real estate fraud complaints to the Arizona Attorney General's office since January 2024.
Source: KJZZ, August 28, 2026.
In three of the four, a careful title company or realtor caught it. The condo was held by a company, so an alert on the owner's name alone might have missed it. Enter company names too. Our list of warning signs of home title theft covers what to watch for at a home you don't live in.
What changed in Arizona's deed fraud laws in 2026?
SB 1479 made filing a false deed a felony and added new ID checks. The governor signed it on April 9, 202618. It took effect on September 12, 2026, the general effective date for that year's laws19. The Recorder's site says photo ID is required for in-person and kiosk recording "as of September 13, 2026"4.
Maricopa owners got three new protections in three years
Key dates for deed fraud rules in Maricopa County and Arizona
- Apr. 18, 2023State law requires every county recorder to offer opt-in email or text alerts by Jan. 1, 20258.
- June 2023Maricopa Title Alert launches, free1,2.
- Apr. 16, 2025Arizona Supreme Court applies a five-year deadline to a claim that a deed on a Maricopa County lot was forged21.
- Apr. 9, 2026SB 1479 is signed18.
- Aug. 2026The state's Early Real Estate Sales Alert goes live14.
- Sept. 12, 2026SB 1479 takes effect: felony penalty, photo ID, notary thumbprints18,19.
- By Jan. 1, 2027County assessors must offer alerts when a property's owner or mailing address changes18.
Sources: Arizona Legislature, Maricopa County Recorder, Arizona Supreme Court, KJZZ. Blue rows are free alerts you can sign up for.
What SB 1479 does, in plain terms18,20:
- Makes false recordings a class 5 felony. It used to be a class 1 misdemeanor.
- Requires photo ID to record in person. Escrow officers, title companies, banks, lawyers and government offices are exempt.
- Requires a thumbprint at the notary. It applies to deeds, deeds of trust and powers of attorney.
- Adds assessor alerts by 2027. You can opt in to hear about a change in owner or mailing address.
- Repeals the five-year rule. That rule, A.R.S. § 12-524, is the one the Supreme Court applied in the 2025 Maricopa lot case21.
The ID rule names in-person and kiosk recording only, not mailed or electronic filings18.
What should you do if a fake deed is recorded on your Maricopa County property?
Get a copy, report it, and talk to a lawyer the same week. The Recorder's office records documents and "cannot offer legal advice," so it won't remove a deed for you3.
- Get a copy of the document. Find it in Recorded Document Search. Viewing is free, and an official copy costs $1 a page3.
- Report it to the police and the Attorney General. The Recorder's FAQ says to report title fraud to your local police and the Arizona Attorney General's office3.
- Report it to the FBI if money moved. File at ic3.gov22.
- Call your title insurer. The FBI says standard owner's policies "may provide protection against forgery"22.
- Ask a lawyer about A.R.S. § 33-420. It lets you ask Superior Court "to immediately clear title." Whoever recorded the forged document owes at least $5,000 or three times your damages, plus lawyer fees20.
To lower your risk before anything happens, see how to protect your home title for free.
Who do I call about deed fraud in Maricopa County?
Start with your city's police and the Attorney General. The Recorder's office doesn't list a fraud unit of its own3,4.
| Who | What for | How to reach them |
|---|---|---|
| Maricopa County Recorder | Title Alert, copies of deeds | 602-506-3535, Mon.–Fri., 8 a.m.–5 p.m. 301 W Jefferson St., Suite 200, Phoenix ²³ |
| Local police | A criminal report | The non-emergency line of the city where the property is |
| Arizona Attorney General | Fraud complaints | azag.gov consumer complaint, 602-542-5025 ¹³ |
| Arizona Dept. of Real Estate | Early Alert sign-up | earlyalert.azre.gov ¹⁷ |
| FBI | Wire losses, online fraud | ic3.gov ²² |
Frequently asked questions
Is Maricopa Title Alert legit?
Yes. It is a free service run by the Maricopa County Recorder's Office at recorder.maricopa.gov. In 2023, a viewer asked ABC15 if an email about it was a scam because its link didn't work. The Recorder's office said the first link was incomplete and fixed it. To be safe, sign up only on the Recorder's .gov site, not through a link in an email.
How can I find the owner of a property in Maricopa County?
Search the Maricopa County Assessor's website by address or parcel number. The Assessor keeps the county's ownership records. You can also search the Recorder's Recorded Document Search by name to see deeds. Viewing copies online is free. Official copies cost $1 a page.
How do I monitor my home title for free in Arizona?
Sign up for your county recorder's alert, such as Maricopa Title Alert, and register your property with the state's Early Real Estate Sales Alert. Both are free. The Arizona Attorney General's office also says to check the recorder's and assessor's websites from time to time to make sure your property details are right.
What does the Maricopa County Recorder do?
The Recorder's Office records about 1 million documents a year, including deeds, and keeps more than 52 million searchable records going back to 1871. It also keeps the voter files for more than 2.6 million voters. It does not give legal advice or check whether a deed is genuine.
What should I do if I suspect deed fraud in Arizona?
Get a copy of the document from the county recorder, then report it to your local police and the Arizona Attorney General's office. If money was wired, also report it to the FBI at ic3.gov. Call a real estate attorney, because clearing a fake deed usually takes a court filing under A.R.S. 33-420.
Does Maricopa Title Alert cover property in other Arizona counties?
No. It only watches documents recorded in Maricopa County. If you own land or a home in Pinal, Yavapai or another county, sign up for that county's alert too. The Maricopa Title Alert page links to the other counties' sign-up pages.
Turn on both free alerts today
Sign up for Maricopa Title Alert and register with the state's Early Alert. It takes a few minutes. Then see what a recorded notice adds.
Sign up for Title AlertSee how Still My Home worksSources
- Maricopa Title Alert, Maricopa County Recorder's Office, checked October 13, 2026
- County Recorder introduces Maricopa Title Alert (news release), Maricopa County Recorder's Office, June 1, 2023
- Frequently asked questions, Maricopa County Recorder's Office, checked October 13, 2026
- Maricopa County Recorder's Office home page (photo ID notice), checked October 13, 2026
- The office and the Recorder, Maricopa County Recorder's Office, checked October 13, 2026
- Maricopa County Recorder's Office Title Alerts service sees 15,000 sign-ups, KJZZ, June 5, 2023
- Scam or no scam? New Maricopa County title alert program is legitimate, ABC15, June 23, 2023
- A.R.S. § 11-467, recorded documents; notification, Arizona Legislature, checked October 13, 2026
- Is your property for sale without your knowledge? Scammers nearly take Valley land, ABC15, December 4, 2023
- Phoenix couple accused of impersonating homeowners and selling a house they were squatting in, Scripps News, March 2, 2025
- Valley realtor helps Scottsdale police catch alleged title fraudsters, AZFamily, November 13, 2025
- Man tried to sell Scottsdale condo that belonged to someone with the same name: PD, FOX 10 Phoenix, July 29, 2026
- Attorney General's Office warns AZ homeowners about deed fraud, Arizona Attorney General's Office, August 22, 2022
- Free program can help protect Arizona homeowners against deed fraud, KJZZ, August 28, 2026
- New Arizona alert system targets deed fraud: Here's how it works, AZFamily, August 28, 2026
- Early Real Estate Sales Alert (ERAS) opt-in form, Arizona Department of Real Estate, August 2026
- AZRE Early Alert System, Arizona Department of Real Estate, checked October 13, 2026
- Laws 2026, Chapter 31 (SB 1479), Arizona Legislature, approved April 9, 2026
- Session laws: general effective date, Arizona Legislature, checked October 13, 2026
- A.R.S. § 33-420, false documents, Arizona Legislature, checked October 13, 2026
- Estate of Dominguez v. Dominguez, No. CV-24-0102-PR, Arizona Supreme Court, April 16, 2025
- Protect your property from illegal sales through parcel owner impersonation, FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, June 16, 2026
- Contact us, Maricopa County Recorder's Office, checked October 13, 2026