July 28th, 2022 – Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter is reminding residents to be mindful of scammers and their newest tactics to garner critical information from unsuspecting victims.

Law enforcement officials have become aware of Deed Fraud, which occurs when criminals fraudulently record documents that transfer properties away from the rightful owner without their knowledge.

Experts suggest these tips to protect your home from fraudulently being taken from you:

• If a property you own is vacant, check it often to prevent unwarranted occupants from taking over the property.
• Create a WILL that clearly directs the inheritance of your property.
• Check your property’s Deed at least once a year by visiting the Suffolk County Clerk’s Page here: https://suffolkcountyny.gov/clerk
• Learn more about how to protect your property here: https://ag.ny.gov/.../deedtheft-webfriendly-english.pdf

Residents should also be cautious when receiving text messages from their banks as scam artist are now posing as banks to garner vital information that allows them to steal identities. To learn more about this scam please visit: https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/18596-scam-alert-hit-delete-on-phony-banking-texts