Lake County homeowners are warned of a scam that involves letters from Illinois deed providers or deed retrieval services asking residents to send money to receive a copy of their property deed.
“It looks very official and threatening, but the true purpose of the letter is to get you to spend your hard-earned money,” Lake County Recorder of Deeds Mary Ellen Vanderventer said in a video posted on the county’s Facebook page.
Vanderventer said the companies are offering homeowners a certified copy of the deed to their home for “an outrageous payment of almost $100.” To protect themselves, homeowners should get a copy of their deed directly through the Lake County Recorder's Office, she said.
“The average deed is four pages or less with a copy fee of only $1 per page,” she said. “These deceptive businesses are roughly making a $95 profit on every request they handle. Please, let’s put them out of business. Do not respond to the scam.”
Vanderventer said new homeowners need to be especially careful.
“These companies see you as vulnerable because you want to be sure all of your paperwork is in order regarding your new home,” she said.
Lake County homeowners can request a copy of their property deed by calling 847-377-2575.
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