Need a copy of the deed to your property? Don’t fall for this scam.

We’re hearing from more and more people who are receiving letters in the mail from third-party companies that are offering to provide you with a certified copy of the deed to your property for a small fee of $89. The letters that I’ve seen would lead you to believe that if you don’t have the deed in your possession, then you have no proof that you’re the rightful owner of the property. I don’t know of any other way to put it, this is nothing but a scam to relieve you of some of your hard-earned money.

First of all, once your deed is recorded at your local county courthouse, it becomes part of the public record for the entire world to see. If the original deed is ever lost or destroyed after it’s been recorded, it really isn’t any big deal.

If you’d like a recorded copy of your deed, you can either contact the title/settlement company that handled your closing, or call the courthouse directly. Your title company will either mail or email you a copy for no charge, or you can receive a certified copy from your county recorder of deeds for $5 or $10.

If you’ve already fallen prey to this scam… chalk it up as a learning experience.