COUNTY CLERK WARNS RESIDENTS ABOUT NEW "DEED SCAM"

(Mineola, NY)  Nassau County Clerk Maureen O’Connell cautions homeowners about a new type of solicitation that recently targeted the local Massapequa and Massapequa Park communities.  These mailings are coming from “Record Transfer Service” and recommend “… all NY homeowners obtain a copy of their current Grant Deed”.  They go on to offer a “Property Profile” which “…provides a wealth of information useful to understanding a subject property’s makeup”.  Clerk O’Connell also wants residents to be aware of other types of these mailings that may read “The U.S. Government Federal Citizen Information Center website recommends that property owners should have an official or certified copy of their deed.”  These solicitations contain publicly available property information which often misleads homeowners to believe that it is from an official governmental agency and it is imperative they act on it quickly.

Concerned by these deceptive practices, County Clerk O’Connell wants homeowners to remember that 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.  However, private companies continue to offer to purchase a deed on behalf of the homeowner, often times for more than 1000% over the Clerk’s Office fees.  In an effort to better inform consumers and protect them, County Clerk O’Connell successfully advocated for state legislation that requires these types of solicitations to disclose that they are not affiliated with the county.  Nevertheless, many homeowners continue to fall victim to these types of misleading mailings.