CHASKA, MINN.— A new website aims to give Carver County residents another way to avoid falling victim to fraud.

The County Land Records Department has implemented Land Notification, a website that allows residents to monitor their name or a parcel of land for real estate activity.

The free service creates alerts based on a name, business name or parcel ID that residents provide. The alert generates emails to residents when documents regarding the given property or name have been recorded with the Carver County Land Records Department.

The website is a proactive way to prevent fraud. While the County is not aware of any specific instance of fraud, a person could forge signatures of homeowners on a new deed or mortgage and commit a fraud worth thousands of dollars.

“These issues do not occur readily, however, mortgage and real estate fraud does occur in our society, even though no specific case of fraud has been brought to our attention, there is always the possibility it could happen,” Kathleen Smith, Land Records Manager, said.

The program also allows potential problems to be caught early and promptly researched.

Customers can now take a proactive approach to monitoring their investments, and a home is often the largest investment one will make in their lifetime.

Visit the website for more information or to sign up for Land Notification alerts.