Brown County Clerk & Recorder Launches New Alert System to Help Prevent Notary Fraud in Our Community

Mt. Sterling, IL — [October 3, 2025] — The Brown County Clerk & Recorder is proud to introduce a new fraud prevention tool designed to protect notaries and the community from the growing threat of notary-related document fraud. The Notary Fraud Alert (NFA) program is a free, easy-to-use service that allows notaries to monitor activity under their name and quickly detect signs of misuse.

“As your County Clerk, my top priority is preserving the integrity of our public records,” said Jenny Welty, Brown County Clerk. “This new alert system empowers notaries with information—so they can catch fraudulent activity early—and in doing so, helps safeguard the entire community from property fraud and related scams.”

Once enrolled, notaries can choose to receive daily, weekly, or monthly alerts whenever a document is recorded in Brown County that includes their name as the notary. Each alert includes the document number, type, and parties involved, making it easy to identify suspicious filings immediately.

Notary fraud can occur when someone forges a signature, misuses a notary seal, or records a document without the required presence or authorization. These actions can lead to property theft, financial loss, and legal complications. With this alert system, notaries are no longer in the dark—they are part of the frontline defense.

This service is offered at no cost and is part of our ongoing commitment to supporting our local notaries while strengthening trust in our public recordkeeping systems.

To sign up for Notary Fraud Alert or learn more, click here.

If you suspect you are a victim of notary fraud, consider reaching out to law enforcement or legal counsel for further action.

Media Contact:
Jenny Welty
Brown County Clerk & Recorder
217-773-3421 ext. 5
[email protected]