Scam-A-Lam-A-Ding-Dong: High Fees For ‘Grant Deeds’

Businesses charging high fees for otherwise low-cost and easily attained public records are attempting to lure consumers with offers and invoices delivered by mail, warns the state Department of Consumer Protection.
The scam operations try to sell homeowners copies of “grant deeds,” typically available at a town clerk’s office, even online. Land records usually cost about $1 a page, or $2 a page for a certified record. The scammers, says the DCP, ask for between $50 and $100, sometimes asking consumers to fax their credit-card information or to send a check.

The notices include addresses that are more often UPS offices or post-office boxes. One complaint to the DCP included a notice that said, “This document provides evidence that the property at _______ was in fact transferred….”