How to watch the mail for loan transfers and deed scams
After closing, your name is in public records, so expect deed mail scams and other letters that look official. You never need to buy a deed copy from a mailer, and a real loan transfer notice has specific details you can check. Verify anything using contact information you already have, never the phone number printed on the letter.
How a deed mail scam differs from a real loan transfer notice
Two kinds of mail arrive together, and they need opposite handling. Sales pitches dressed as notices can go in the shredder. A real notice that your loan moved to a new servicer needs action, because your payment address may change.
The FTC has described one common version. A letter looks like it's from a bank, carries a FINAL NOTICE stamp, seems to enclose a refund check and tells you to call immediately. The fine print says it isn't a check, and the person who answers tries to sell you a home or appliance warranty. Deed offers work similarly. In Washington, the Attorney General warned of a letter from a "State Record Retrieval Board," which is no government body. Its Olympia address was a UPS Store drop box.
When mail scams after buying a house start
Stay alert from the day your deed is recorded through your first year or so. Open everything for the first few months, since real notices can look as dull as junk mail. Before you call any number or pay any fee, stop and check. Urgency is the tool here, and a deadline on one of these letters is there to rush you.
Deed copy scam prices compared with the county's
The gap between the mailer's price and the county's price is the easiest giveaway.
| Where | Mailer asks | Official price |
|---|---|---|
| Bucks County, Pennsylvania | More than $100 | Less than $10 from the Recorder of Deeds |
| Washington State | $87, plus a threatened $35 if you miss a deadline | $10 or less from the county auditor |
A real servicing transfer has dates you can test. The old servicer must notify you at least 15 days before the switch, and the new one no more than 15 days after, unless they send a single joint notice at least 15 days before. A notice given at closing also counts. For 60 days after a transfer, an on-time payment sent to the old servicer can't be treated as late.
How to check a deed mail scam or loan transfer notice
- Pause before you act
Set the letter aside for now.
- Read the small print
Look for words like solicitation, not a government agency, not affiliated with your lender, or this is not a check.
- Check the sender on your own
Search the company name and phone number with review, complaint or scam. The FTC says that if others reached a warranty seller, that's a warning sign.
- Call your real contacts
Use the number on your statement or from a website you already trust. Ask your servicer if the letter is theirs.
- Verify any transfer notice
Call the old servicer at the number on your last statement and confirm the new name, address and start date.
- Update your payment if it's real
Change autopay and bank bill pay to the new servicer, then watch your next statement to confirm the payment posted.
- Get a deed copy the official way
If you need one, go to your county office's site or counter. You don't have to buy one to prove you own the home.
- Report it
File the mailer at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and tell your county office or state attorney general if it uses a government-style name.
Where to get a real deed copy and avoid a deed copy scam
The office that holds your deed has a different name depending on where you live: county recorder, register of deeds, county clerk or county auditor. Fees differ, and many offices let you search or order records online. Your deed copy may also already be in your closing papers.
Signs of a deed mail scam
- Government-sounding names, seals or "records office" wording, with "not a government agency" in small print.
- Your real loan amount or lender's name. It's public record and proves nothing.
- A check-like enclosure. Read the fine print before you believe it.
- A new servicer named only in an email or unsolicited letter, with no matching contact from your old servicer.
- A notice missing the basics. Real ones give the effective date, the last day the old servicer takes payment, the first day the new one does, and a toll-free or collect number for both.
- Pressure to pay by phone today, or to share your Social Security number.
If you paid one of these senders, contact your card issuer or bank about a dispute. If you shared your account or Social Security number, act quickly and see IdentityTheft.gov.
What homeowners say about mail scams after buying a house
Watch or freeze your credit for a while after closing. Your financial details passed through a lot of hands at the lender and title company. (Reddit)
Expect a flood of 'mortgage protection insurance' and alarm-company letters right after closing. Owners say dozens arrive. They're marketing based on public sale records, not notices from your lender. (Reddit)
Homestead mailers are a common trap. One owner paid a look-alike agency $50 and even got a receipt, but the county never got the filing. They were billed the full tax, and their monthly payment rose almost $500. File only on the county site. Expect salespeople too: solar, pest and alarm reps show up after a sale, and a no-soliciting sign helps. (Reddit)
Is my mortgage transfer letter real? Common questions
Do I need a certified copy of my deed?
Usually not for everyday life. If a specific process calls for one, order it from your county office, where copies generally cost far less than these mailers charge.
How do I know if a mortgage transfer letter is real?
Check for the effective date, payment dates and contact details for both servicers, then call your current servicer using the number on your statement. If it's real, they'll confirm the transfer.
Why am I getting so much mail after buying a house?
Home sales are public record, and marketers use them to find new owners. Treat offers as sales pitches unless you've confirmed them through your lender or county.
Sources: FTC, CFPB, levittownnow.com, atg.wa.gov
General guidance for U.S. homes, not professional advice. For gas, electrical and structural work, call a licensed pro.