MEEKER COUNTY CAUTIONS AREA PROPERTY OWNERS TO LOOK OUT FOR DECEPTIVE DEED SOLICIATION LETTERS

Official-looking letters are being received by County constituents by mail that could be mistaken for an official invoice, but are not from Meeker County or any other government office.

Meeker County residents should be on the alert for deceptive solicitations that may appear to be an invoice for the purchase of a real estate deed or property profile. At first glance, these mailings may appear to come from a government agency and/or may appear to request payment of an outstanding debt for government records, but closer inspection would reveal that these are private solicitations attempting to get property owners to pay large fees for documents that are either unnecessary or may be obtained from your County's Recorder's Office at no charge.

The Minnesota Attorney General's Office provides the following advice to help spot these deceptive mailings and avoid being a target:

Some companies have sent mailings to Minnesota homeowners that may on first blush look like a bill from a government agency. The mailings may attempt to get homeowners to pay upwards of $90 in some cases for a copy of their real estate deed or property profile. Buzzwords like "U.S. Government," "official," and "certified copy" may be used to get homeowners to pay. The fine print may disclose that a deed is not required, but people who receive the mailings may not always notice the fine print disclaimer.

Companies that send these mailings count on the fact that many homeowners don't know how, where, or when to get their deed to the home. Situations in which you need a copy of your property deed may include:

• buying or selling your house;
• refinancing your mortgage; or
• transferring title to your house.

Your county recorder or registrar of titles can provide a copy of your deed at no cost. You do not need to pay a private company to obtain your deed for you.