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DeedShield User Manual

Version: 2.0 (Risk & Compliance Enhanced)
Date: February 2026

1. Overview

DeedShield is an automated document verification platform designed to prevent real estate title fraud. It protects homeowners and county clerks by ensuring:

  1. Recording Integrity: Documents meet strict Cook County formatting and content rules.
  2. Fraud Detection: An AI Risk Engine analyzes documents for signs of forgery or tampering.
  3. Immutable Proof: Every validation is "anchored" on a public blockchain (EVM), creating a permanent, tamper-proof audit trail.

2. Workflow Guide

Step 1: Upload a Document

  1. Navigate to the Home Page.
  2. Locate the "Instant Pre-Check" dropzone.
  3. Drag & Drop your PDF file (e.g., Warranty Deed, Quitclaim Deed) into the box.
    • Note: Only PDF files are supported for full verification.

Step 2: Automated Extraction & Review

Once uploaded, DeedShield automatically:

  • Removes Watermarks: Strips "DO NOT COPY" or "UNOFFICIAL" stamps to read the text.
  • Extracts Metadata: Finds the Parcel ID (PIN) and Grantor Name.
  • Computes Hash: Generates a unique SHA-256 digital fingerprint of your file.

Action: Verify the extracted PIN and Grantor Name shown on the screen. If they are incorrect, you can edit them in the next step. Click "Proceed to Recording" to continue.

Step 3: Verification

The system pre-fills the verification form with your document's data.

  1. Review Inputs: Ensure the Parcel ID (PIN) and Grantor Name fields are accurate.
    • Tip: Cook County PINs are 14 digits (e.g., 12-34-567-000-0000).
  2. Select Profile: Ensure STANDARD_IL is selected for Cook County documents.
  3. Click "Verify Bundle".

Step 4: Results & Receipt

DeedShield runs a comprehensive audit and produces a Verification Receipt.

  • Decision:
    • ALLOW: Safe to record.
    • FLAG: Minor issues found (e.g., low visual quality, warnings).
    • BLOCK: Critical failure (e.g., missing PIN, severe fraud risk).
  • Receipt ID: A unique UUID for this specific verification event.

3. Understanding Outputs

A. Compliance Checks (Cook County)

The system checks against Illinois Statutes (§55 ILCS 5/3-5018).

  • PASS: All mandatory fields (PIN, Legal Description, Prepared By, Mail To) are present.
  • FAIL: A critical recording requirement is missing. The receipt will cite the specific missing field (e.g., "CRITICAL FAILURE: Legal Description missing").

B. Fraud Risk Score

The Document Fraud Risk Engine assigns a probability score (0.0 - 1.0) based on forensics.

Band Score Meaning
🟢 LOW 0.0 - 0.3 Document appears authentic.
🟡 MEDIUM 0.31 - 0.7 Suspicious layout or text anomalies. Manual review recommended.
🔴 HIGH 0.71 - 1.0 High likelihood of fraud. Issues like modified metadata or template mismatches detected.

C. Anchoring

  • "Anchored" Status: The digital fingerprint (hash) of your receipt has been written to the Ethereum blockchain.
  • Proof: This proves exactly what the document looked like and what the verification result was at that specific moment in time. Even DeedShield cannot alter this record later.

4. Troubleshooting

  • "OCR Failed": The document may be too blurry or encrypted. Try scanning at a higher resolution (300 DPI).
  • "Cook County Compliance Failed": Read the specific error message. You likely forgot a mandatory header like "Prepared By" or the "Return To" address.
  • Wrong PIN Extracted: Use the manual edit fields on the Verify page to correct the PIN before submitting.