Watch out for snail mail pseudo-scams after a home purchase or refinance

When you purchase a home or take out a new mortgage on your property, it’s no secret. In Massachusetts, the deed and mortgage are recorded in your county’s registry of deeds and can be found online for the curious.

This also means that marketers may purchase lists of new owners or refinancers in order to offer their wares by snail mail. For homeowners new to an area, this may be a helpful way to find contractors, services, or even restaurants. Or it may just mean a lot of junk mail to deal with along with unpacking, but it’s harmless.

Unfortunately, undesirables may also purchase these lists. We often hear from clients who receive offers from companies that will provide new owners a “certified copy” of their deeds for the low low price of $100.00. This is unnecessary. First, after closing, we provide our clients with a package of all their relevant documents, including the original recorded deed. And second, you can always get a copy of your deed , which is all you would likely need, from the registry of deeds for free.

You may also receive letters from companies purporting to be associated with your lender offering to set up automatic payments for a one-time fee or for a small fee tacked on to each payment. Even if the companies do what they say and set up your automatic payments, your lender would likely have offered automatic payments for free. There is no need for a middleman.

Of course, there are other much more insidious scams to be on guard for, such as malcontents purporting to offer a low refinance rate in an attempt to steal your personal information. If you are looking to refinance, make sure you are initiating the contact or you are dealing with someone at the bank you trust. And when in doubt, talk to the team at Levine Law to make sure you are on the right path.