Often when the phone rings, it is a question from an estate planning client. We help answer questions from clients as they begin using their estate planning education to check things off the to do list. As part of the estate planning process, we often draft deeds for clients. There are multiple types of deeds but ultimately, the process is the same. Once the deed has been signed then it is filed with the County Recorder of Deeds office. Once we’ve received the recorded deed, it’s placed in the mail back to clients. Process complete! However, some days we get calls from clients about a piece of mail they receive after a deed is recorded.
This letter comes from a third-party vendor and states that a deed was recently recorded on your property. It recommends that you pay them money to get a copy of your deed. Typically, the cost can be up to $100+ which you pay to the third-party vendor. Often, this letter causes confusion and implies that you need to pay the fee to obtain the deed. We’ve had clients call us regarding letters like this MONTHS after we’ve finished their estate plan.
It’s an alarming letter to receive since it makes it sound like the deed for your home has been updated and you need to get a copy to see what’s going on with your property. For most of the counties in Kansas and Missouri, you can request a copy of the deed yourself without it costing you $100. In some cases, you can even find the deed online through the relevant county recorder of deeds office.
Property information is public which is helpful when you’re doing research but also opens people to scams like this one. These scan letters from third-party vendors can come after you complete estate planning or after you close on a new house.
As a reminder, there is a service you can use if you are a resident of Jackson or Clay County, Missouri’s *Property Fraud Alert* service (this may be an option in your county as well- give the recorder’s office a call!.) Imagine this: You’ve spent decades building and maintaining your home and a scammer records a deed transferring your home to someone else. The thought of someone committing fraud against your property is unsettling, but it’s unfortunately a growing problem. The Property Fraud Alert helps to safeguard homeowners against such threats by notifying them if any activity is detected on their property records. It’s like having a watchdog that never sleeps, offering peace of mind that your most significant asset is being monitored. It’s a free service, easy to sign up for, and it can make all the difference in catching fraudulent activity before it goes too far. Jackson County property owners you can sign up here: https://www.propertyfraudalert.com/MOJackson
