GODFREY - Community members can learn more about property fraud and how to protect themselves.
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At 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, at the Alton-Wood River Sportsmen’s Club, Madison County Clerk and Recorder Linda Andreas will present information about Property Fraud Alert. This free service is available to Madison County residents and aims to alert them when there is fraudulent activity affecting their property.
“It’s free to Madison County residents, and it could save your home from the deed being stolen,” explained Linda Ogden. “It’s a great opportunity.”
The seminar is hosted by Ogden, who represents District 7 on the Madison County Board. She works closely with Andreas’s office to serve District 7 residents. Ogden believes offering a presentation like this is another way to help the community.
She shared that a Godfrey resident’s deed was “almost stolen,” but the Property Fraud Alert system “put the brakes on” and “saved the deed from being stolen.” Property Fraud Alert notified the resident, the Recorder’s Office, and the courts. This early alert enabled them to stop the fraudulent activity before it progressed.
Any property owner is vulnerable to this. Ogden believes it’s more important than ever to talk about property fraud and how to protect yourself.
“With all of the online presence, it’s pretty frightening. I mean, how many people’s bank accounts have been hacked just this year, or their credit cards?” she said. “So many people don’t know [about this program]. They sign up for something else that sounds similar, and then they get scammed or have to buy this program to monitor their checking or their mortgage, the deeds, and so on and so forth.”
The presentation on Aug. 22 will help residents identify and enroll in the legitimate Property Fraud Alert program. Andreas will explain how the program works and why it is beneficial. Ogden noted that Andreas has made an effort to share more about the program in recent months, and this presentation is a way to further expand its reach.
Ogden encourages people to come out, enjoy coffee and donuts, and learn more. She expressed her appreciation for Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick and other local leaders who do “a great job looking out for all the residents here in Godfrey.” She hopes she can contribute to this and “do the right thing” by hosting the presentation and similar events to benefit her constituents.
“We’d love to see a room full of people that can benefit from this program,” she added.
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