NORWICH – As soon as Norwich resident Joan Spicer opened an envelope addressed in her name from a company called New York Record Retrieval, Inc., she recognized what it was: a scam.
“I could feel my blood pressure go up,” she said.
For $59.95, the company offered to send a certified copy of a deed recorded by Spicer with the Chenango County Clerk in 2008, something she herself could easily obtain for just a few dollars. While she recognized it as a scam, she was immediately concerned that other seniors might be taken in by the letter, especially those who were concerned about leaving their estate in order.
The letter certainly looked official, containing not only the actual record number of the deed Spicer filed with the county clerk’s office last year, but even referencing a federal website which reportedly recommends that property owners obtain a certified copy of their deed. There were also disclaimers that the company was not affiliated with the State of New York and that the same information could be obtained from the clerk’s office.
Spicer’s concern is that seniors who receive the letter will treat it like a bill and pay it without question.
“How slimy can you get?” she said, voicing her opinion of people who would target the elderly in such a way.
Not one to stay silent, Spicer took copies of the letter to the Chenango County Clerk, the Norwich City Police Department, the postmaster and her bank. Each of these agencies, she said, was as concerned as she was.
The Chenango County Clerk’s office took action immediately. Shortly after Spicer’s visit they not only issued a press release warning residents of the scam, but also alerted the New York State Attorney General’s office.
Chenango County Deputy Clerk Dale Leach said that while the letter provides some information about getting a certified deed from the clerk’s office, it doesn’t tell the whole story.
“What they don’t tell you is, normally for four pages or less, it’s only $5 for a certified copy,” he explained.
And according to Leach, the Federal Citizen Information Center website referenced in the letter actually warns against overpaying for certified deeds. One section of the site features a summary list of some of the most common scams and frauds, which includes one such as this.
Norwich Police Chief Joe Angelino said that one of the reasons seniors are susceptible to this and similar scams is because they don’t realize how much of their personal information is available on the Internet.
“When you get these things in the mail, they look official,” he explained, because they contain information that people, particularly those from the older generations, believe to be confidential.
The best policy is to confirm the authenticity of the offer before sending money.
“If you get something unsolicited ... confirm it with a trusted friend or neighbor, or bring it to the police. We’ll take a look at it,” Angelino said.
Other resources for seniors who believe they are the target of a scam include the Area Agency on Aging, the Chenango County Sheriff’s Department, Chenango County Clerk’s Office, the Federal Citizen Information Center (www.pueblo.gsa.gov) and the New York State Attorney General’s Office.