Read this before you send a Deed Service money for a copy of your property deed.
All over the U.S., consumers opening their mail this year have read official looking solicitations from a company stressing the importance of possessing a certified copy of their property deed.
Law enforcement officials say the mailing is part of a clever scheme that, while technically legal, seeks to exploit vulnerable consumers. This increasingly reported version of the deed scam seems to be targeting home owners, as well as others involved in real estate transactions around the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Residents should be cautious about a solicitation being sent from an outfit that appears to official correspondence and looks to be a bill and even includes specific property information. It is important that home owners realize that this is not a bill, that it is not correspondence from the Registry of Deeds and that in fact home owners OWE NOTHING.
Many people around the country, including many seniors, have reported receiving an ominous-sounding notice from a Deed Service company which says:
“The U.S. Government Federal Citizen Information Center website recommends that property owners should have an official or certified copy of their deed. This document provides evidence that your property was transferred to you.”
Owners of real property may obtain copies of deeds from their local registrar of deeds. The notice also says that the Deed Service can provide consumers a copy of their deed for a nominal fee. The fee amount varies. Some of the notices ask for only $59.95 while others require as much as $89.95. This may not sound like a lot of money but you could obtain a copy of your property deed for $1.00. Many counties don’t require you to keep a copy of your deed. The Deed Service’s notice is a bunch of malarky. The solicitation from these bogus Services goes so far as to claim that their $83.00 fee provides evidence that the property was transferred and includes a requested response date which effectively appears to be a due date.
“I am deeply concerned that these solicitations appear to be a bill or an invoice relating to local real estate transactions. Unfortunately consumers are interpreting this as a bill due and not the questionable solicitation that it actually is. It may be legal, but I still think it’s outrageous that these businesses are contacting consumers with the intention to deceive and mislead.” said Register O’Donnell of the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds.
Do I need a copy of my deed?
Despite the Deed Service’s warning, many consumers are not required to have a copy of their property deeds. Having it on file at the county registrar’s office should suffice. If you’re in doubt and want to be sure, give the registrar’s office a call. They’ll tell you everything you need to know about your deed and your responsibilities in regard to it.
How to Obtain Property Deeds?
Should you decide to obtain a copy of your deed, for whatever reason, we urge you not to respond to unsolicited requests from companies like the Deed Service. Just go to the county clerk or registrar’s office and they will print you a copy for next to nothing. If that’s too much work for you, give them a call and ask them to send you a copy for the same low price. The Registry is the basic resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities and others with a need for secure, accurate, accessible land record information. Before you ask anyone for a copy check to see if you already have one. You should have received one after the property closing.