Houghton County News

New Notary Fraud Alert Program

Houghton County Clerk/Register of Deeds, Jennifer Kelly Launches New Alert System to Help Prevent Notary Fraud in Our Community

February 16, 2026 �" The Houghton County Clerk/Register of Deeds, Jennifer Kelly 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/Register of Deeds], my top priority is preserving the integrity of our public records," said [Jennifer Kelly], [Houghton County Clerk/Register of Deeds]. "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 Houghton 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 at a glance.

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, visit Houghtoncounty.net, and go under the County Clerk Department, and you will find the link under the County Clerk Overview, or visit NotaryFraudAlert.com. You will need to create an account.

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

Contact:
Jennifer Kelly
Houghton County Clerk/Register of Deeds
906-482-1150
countyclerk@houghtoncounty.gov