Onondaga County Clerk Lisa Dell wants homeowners to be aware of another property deed scam taking place her in Onondaga County.
First Documents, a company based out of California, is soliciting customers who recently conducted real estate transactions and offering to sell them copies of the deed to their home and a property assessment profile. The solicitation, which contains public information about the property, instructs the homeowner to pay $83 to obtain these records. These same documents can be obtained from the county clerk’s office for less than $10.
“I want the residents of Onondaga County to be aware that the entities marketing such requests are not related to the county clerk’s office or any other department in Onondaga County,” Dell said. “Deeds for every parcel of land in Onondaga County are recorded and maintained on permanent record at the Onondaga County Clerk’s office. The original deed is returned to the property owner or their attorney after closing at no additional charge. Property owners wishing to obtain a certified copy of their deed should contact the Onondaga County Clerk’s Office (435-8250) or come and visit us from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. We are located on the second floor of the old historic courthouse at 401 Montgomery St. in downtown Syracuse.”
The “property assessment profile” the company is trying to sell includes information that the homeowner not only does not need, but can obtain at no cost from the Onondaga County Real Property Tax Division or the town or city where the property is located.
Because there currently is no law against companies selling you your information or a limit on what they can charge, Dell said the best way to protect yourself is to stay vigilant and informed.
If you receive anything in the mail about your property records that seems questionable, Dell encourages you to contact her office at 435-2226.
