Lee County leads Florida in fight against rising property fraud cases

LEE COUNTY, Fla. - Lee County is at the forefront of a groundbreaking initiative to combat property fraud. The Clerk of Court announced the results of a pioneering pilot program designed to curb the alarming rise of fraudulent deeds.

Lee County was the only county in Florida selected to test this innovative approach to preventing property fraud. This crime has been rapidly increasing across the state.

The two-year property fraud prevention pilot program required anyone recording a deed at the Lee County Clerk’s Office to show a government-issued photo ID.

Clerk and Comptroller Kevin Karnes said that this additional step helped verify identities, deter criminals and provided law enforcement with stronger tools to investigate suspicious transactions.

"I really do feel like one stolen home is too much," said Karnes. "You spend too much time, money and effort, you build memories, you I mean, there's so much about your house, and it should not be this easy for a criminal to steal your property. So we're doing everything that we can to combat this problem."

The pilot ran from July 2023 to June 2025 and has concluded with an 18-page legislative report sent to state leaders. The report outlines the program's successes, challenges, and recommendations for expanding the effort statewide. Other counties across the country are considering following Florida’s lead.

While the pilot program has ended, Karnes said the fight against property fraud is not over. He encourages homeowners to sign up for the Clerk's free property fraud alert service, which notifies homeowners if a document is recorded in their name.