A California company is trying to trick Norfolk County property owners into paying “outrageous” fees for certified copies of deeds, Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell warned in an email Friday.

“Today there is a California company that continues to send direct-mail solicitations to unsuspecting homeowners asking them to send a check for $86 in order to receive a copy of their deed,” O’Donnell said in the email. “If a consumer knew that they could print a non-certified copy of their deed for a charge of only $1 per page, plus an additional $1 for postage, they would never agree to pay such an outrageous fee for service. The average price for a mailed homeowner’s certified deed by the registry (usually two pages) is $3.”

These solicitations are labeled “Recorded Deed Notice” and request that the homeowner forward a check in the amount of $59.50 to $86 for a copy of their deed. Many people have contacted the Norfolk Registry about the messages, he said.

“While the deed direct-mail solicitation may be legal, it’s certainly not ethical. In my judgement, this is a scam being perpetrated against hard working Norfolk County residents, many of who are first-time homeowners or elderly,” O’Donnell said. “Consumers are interpreting these notices as a bill, since they are affixed with a due date. I again urge in the strongest terms that Norfolk County citizens not let themselves fall prey to these types of misleading deed scam advertisements.”

If property owners receive such a deed solicitation notice, they are urged to contact the Norfolk Registry of Deeds’ Customer Service Center immediately at (781) 461-6101 or by email at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org. Anyone seeking a certified copy of their own deed may also contact the registry’s Customer Service Center and the deed will be provided for the usual nominal fee, typically $2 to $3.