County Clerk Warns Residents About “Deed Scam”
In a repeat alert, Nassau County Clerk Maureen O’Connell wants to caution homeowners about misleading Deed invoices continually targeting many communities in Nassau County. These mailings are being sent out by "Property Transfer Services" saying that they “Recommend that all NY homeowners obtain a copy of their current Deed” for a substantial fee. Residents should be suspicious of any invoices or offers from businesses charging fees for public records that can be easily and inexpensively obtained from the County Clerk's Office. Concerned residents have continued to report these misleading mailings to the County Clerk’s Office and County Clerk O’Connell expects that these mailings will continue to spread throughout Nassau as they have in the past.
All deeds for property located in Nassau County are recorded and maintained at the County Clerk’s Office and only the Clerk’s Office can issue certified copies of these records, which are legally equivalent to the original. At the time of recording, the original deed is returned directly to the owner or their attorney upon processing. These private companies continue to solicit the purchase of a deed on behalf of the homeowner sometimes for more than 1000% over Clerk’s Office fees. It is important to note that homeowners are not required to have their deed on hand.
Concerned by these deceptive practices County Clerk O’Connell, along with County Clerks throughout the state, has advocated for the passage of legislation requiring these solicitations to disclose that certified copies of deeds are available directly from the County Clerk for a nominal fee. However, many homeowners continue to be victimized by these scams.
County Clerk O’Connell reminds residents it is not necessary to retain this type of service to get a copy of your deed. Should a homeowner wish to get a certified copy of their deed, it can always be obtained from the County Clerk’s Office for $5 to $10. Requests can easily be made in person at the Clerk’s Office located at 240 Old Country Road, Mineola. Residents also have the option of mailing their request including name, address, phone number and section, block & lot information or by using a form found on the Clerk’s website http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/Clerk/index.html. Mail in requests should be sent to the Clerk’s Office at 240 Old Country Road, Room B-1, Mineola, NY 11501 along with a check for $10 made out to ‘Nassau County Clerk’. For further information contact Clerk O’Connell’s office at 516-571-2664.
