First American Title Insurance Company is extending its no-cost property title monitoring service to participating independent title agents, allowing them to offer eligible homeowners alerts about potentially suspicious property filings.
The service is available when a residential property is covered by an owner’s title insurance policy underwritten by First American Title.
First American introduced comparable monitoring in January for customers who closed directly through the company. The latest rollout extends the service to homeowners served by its independent agent network.
“By making title monitoring available through our agents on all eligible owner’s title policies underwritten by First American, we’re providing an added layer of protection against the growing threat of real estate fraud and helping homeowners stay connected to trusted title professionals long after their purchase is complete at no additional cost,” said Steve Vincini, president of First American Title’s Agency Division.
What The Service Monitors
The service monitors public records for new filings, including deeds and liens, that may affect property ownership. It also monitors new property listings that could indicate an unauthorized attempt to sell the home.
Homeowners must enroll and accept the service’s terms and conditions. Participating title agents can generate a branded QR code through First American’s AgentNet platform to invite clients to enroll.
The service is available through participating First American agents in every state except Vermont, with some county-level restrictions. Eligible properties must:
- Be covered by an owner’s policy underwritten by First American Title;
- Have a valid street address; and
- Be residential property or new-home construction.
Vacant land can qualify if it has a street address. Commercial properties are excluded.
An Alert Is Not Additional Insurance
The monitoring service provides an early warning when potentially suspicious activity is detected. It does not prevent a fraudulent document from being filed or automatically add insurance coverage for post-policy fraud.
First American said homeowners seeking additional protection may be able to obtain its Eagle Policy or an ALTA 49 endorsement at closing, where available. Eligible homeowners may also be able to add an ALTA 49.1 endorsement to an existing First American policy after closing, subject to availability and underwriting requirements.
The American Land Title Association says its 49 and 49.1 endorsements provide title insurance-backed protection against certain losses caused by deed fraud, forgery, and seller impersonation.
Some county clerks and recorders also offer free property-filing alerts. The FBI has recommended that property owners monitor online records and enroll in county title-alert programs where available.
Fraud Attempts Put More Pressure On Closing Controls
An ALTA survey of 245 title professionals found that 59% of firms reported at least one seller-impersonation fraud attempt during the prior calendar year, up from 28% in ALTA’s 2024 study. The share reporting an attempt during the prior month increased from 19% to 45%.
One-quarter of firms that encountered an attempt also reported a related paid claim. Among firms that disclosed their average claim costs, half reported costs above $100,000.
Vacant land was the most commonly reported target, followed by properties with absentee owners, properties owned free and clear, and properties associated with recently deceased owners.
The FBI separately reported that 58,141 victims lost approximately $1.3 billion to the broader category of real estate fraud from 2019 through 2023. The agency does not publish a separate national loss figure for quitclaim deed fraud.
For originators, the rollout creates another borrower-protection point to address at closing. The practical distinction is straightforward: Monitoring may help a homeowner identify suspicious activity sooner, but it is not a substitute for coverage against the financial consequences.
