Montgomery County Recorder Of Deeds Nancy Becker says private companies have been sending out official-looking letters over the past three years, offering people copies of their deeds for anywhere from about $60 to $90. She says homeowners can get them online, directly from her office, for much less, and they can also get copies two other ways.

“They can come into our office, pay 50 cents a page, and our staff is there to help them, or they can request a copy in the mail.  Just give us the book and page of the deed and send $5 for a regular copy or $10 for a certified copy along with a self-addressed stamped envelope.  The turnaround time for that is it usually goes out the day we get it.”

Becker says certified copies go out with a U.S. Postal Seal so that if anyone uses the deed for any fraudulent purpose it’s a federal offense, and that person could go to jail.  She appeared Wednesday on the WNPV talk program Legally Speaking.