YOUNGSTOWN - Mahoning County Auditor Ralph Meacham has announced the launch of a new property fraud alert system available through his office.

According to a press release, taxpayers in Mahoning County can stay informed about property fraud through one of two free services.

The first is a fraudulent transfer prevention alert, which aims to prevent fraudulent property transfers before they happen by notifying property owners when a real estate deed attempting to transfer property ownership is brought to the Auditor's Office for processing.

To apply for this alert, homeowners must appear at the Auditor's Office in person with a valid photo ID, a recent piece of mail for proof of residency and a copy of their deed.

This alert can only be placed on the primary residence of the owner. It cannot be used for vacant land, rental properties or commercial properties.

The second service is property ownership alerts, which provide notifications to taxpayers after a transfer of property ownership has taken place.

Taxpayers can subscribe to this service on the Mahoning County Auditor's website. After reading and acknowledging the disclaimer, users will enter their email and create a password. From there, users will be sent a confirmation email.

Both services are absolutely free and homeowners can place both on their property.

Meacham is quoted in a press release saying this is just the first step in the Auditor's Office's attempt to protect homeowners and the process will improve over time.

"A home is most people's biggest asset. Working together with homeowners will help protect their investment," Meacham said.