District attorney: Discard deed mailers
By Jennifer Squires, Sentinel staff writer
The District Attorney's Office is advising homeowners that a rash of mailings to county residents this week offering deeds at a price is not a government-sanctioned solicitation.
The mailers, sent by the Washington, D.C.-based National Deed Service, offer homeowners a chance to buy copies of their property deeds for $59.50. The solicitation is not illegal, but could be deceptive, said Robin Gysin, the consumer affairs coordinator at the District Attorney's Office, adding the company is not affiliated with any governmental agency.
A property deed is the document that transfers ownership in a real estate transaction. Gysin suggests people who receive the mailer simply throw it away. "I'd probably rip it up or shred it," Gysin said.
Gysin said 15-20 people have contacted her this week reporting the mailing. None of them sent the company any money, she said. "I actually got one at home. They sent one to my house," Gysin said. The mailers have been reported across the country.
The company has collected property title information from the county Recorder's Office, which has all recorded documents on file. However, anyone can obtain copies of the documents at any time for about $12 at the county Recorder's Office and it's unnecessary to pay someone else for the information, according to the District Attorney's Office.
Gysin warned county residents to be wary of solicitations that arrive in the mail and asked they call her office at 454-2050 with questions.
Contact Jennifer Squires at mailto:jsquires@santacruzsentinel.com?subject=District.
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