• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Sinclair Prosser Gasior

Estate Planning Attorneys - Annapolis, Maryland

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Call Now: (410) 573-4818

Attend a Free Workshop Trustee School

  • Home
  • About Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • Meet Our Team
  • Services
    • Annapolis, MD Asset Protection and Business Planning
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Annapolis, MD Elder Law & Medicaid Services
    • Annapolis, MD Trust Administration & Probate
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Annapolis, MD Incapacity Planning
    • Annapolis, MD LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Annapolis, MD Pet Planning
    • SECURE Act
    • Annapolis, MD Special Needs Planning
    • Estate Planning for Young Families
  • Resources
    • DocuBank
    • Elder Law Reports
    • Estate Planning Definitions
    • Free Estate Planning Worksheet
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Asset Protection Planning
      • Estate Planning
      • Frequently Asked Questions for Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Medicaid
      • Power of Attorney
      • Trust Administration & Probate
    • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
    • Probate Resources
    • Reports
      • Advanced Estate Planning
      • Basic Estate Planning
      • Trust Administration
      • Estate Planning for Niches
    • Top 10 Estate Planning Techniques
    • Newsletters
  • COMMUNITIES WE SERVE
    • Anne Arundel County
      • Annapolis
      • Crownsville
      • Davidsonville
      • Highland Beach
      • Millersville
    • Baltimore County
    • Calvert County
      • Dunkirk
      • Huntingtown
      • Owings
    • Charles County
      • Charlotte Hall
      • Waldorf
    • Howard County
    • Prince George County
      • Bowie
      • Fort Washington
      • Glenn Dale
    • Queen Anne’s County
      • Grasonville
      • Queenstown
      • Stevensville
    • St. Mary’s County
      • Charlotte Hall
      • Leonardtown
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us
  • BLOG
  • Contact Us
  • Make A Payment
  • Client Portal
Home / Beware of Deed Scam in Maryland

Beware of Deed Scam in Maryland

March 7, 2019 by Alexander M. Pagnotta, Estate Planning Attorney

Beware of Deed Scam in Maryland by Alexander M. Pagnotta (Audio)

If you have recently purchased a home or transferred real estate into your Trust, beware of scammers who try and fool you out of at least $90. They try to make you think that you need to purchase the deed and other documentation to your home, when in reality you do not need to pay top dollar for these documents. To combat this problem, you should know why the recording process is important, what information is public record, what the scam entails, things to look for to spot the scam, and what you should do if you receive the scam in the mail.

What does it mean to record a deed and why is it important?

Whenever there is a real estate transaction, a deed should be recorded in the Maryland Land Records. This gives notice to the public as to whom has the legal authority to make decisions regarding the property. Without this recording process, there would be no way to establish clear title – there would be no way to know for certain who owned what property. While recording a deed is a necessity, a potential downside is that information then becomes public record.

What information is public record?

Whenever a deed gets recorded, information related to the transaction becomes available to the public through the Maryland Land Records. In particular, your name, address, price, and a description of the property is available online at https://mdlandrec.net/main/index.cfm. Since this information is readily available, scammers use it to try and convince you that you need to pay top dollar for certain documents. The key to not getting tricked is to recognize the scam when you see it.

What is the scam and how do you spot it?

A solicitation will come to you in the mail. It will look official. It may include information such as your name, address, and property information. The solicitation will then ask you to pay $90 or more to receive the deed and other documents related to your property. Scammers get your information by searching the land records.  If you get a solicitation with the above information, do not pay any money. The deed to the property is mailed to you free of charge after the deed gets recorded. If at any time you need a copy of your deed, you can contact the County Clerk who will issue a copy for much less than $90.

What should you do if you receive the scam in the mail?

First and foremost, do not send any money. In general, any solicitation asking you to pay money after you purchase property or transfer it into your trust is a scam. If you have any questions about a deed prepared by our office, please contact us at (410) 573-4818. If you still feel uncertain, you can also contact the County Clerk for further guidance.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Alexander M. Pagnotta, Estate Planning Attorney
Alex Pagnotta’s personal experience with the problems that can result from an inadequate estate plan along with his interest in helping others drove his desire to pursue the areas of estate planning and estate administration. He counsels individuals and families to preserve wealth and ensure that their hard earned assets are passing to the correct individuals when they want and how they want.
Latest posts by Alexander M. Pagnotta, Estate Planning Attorney (see all)
  • Can I Prevent Someone from Contesting My Will? - May 17, 2022
  • Prepare for Probate - March 23, 2022
  • The Advantages of Portability - January 25, 2022

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Real Estate

Other Articles You May Find Useful

What Assets Should I Put In My Revocable Living Trust?
Bowie estate planning attorneys
Can I Prevent Someone from Contesting My Will?
two people in court room
Is Formal Probate Required?
Why Does Probate Take So Long?
Capital Gains Taxes and Trust Assets
living will
Do You Have a Living Will?

Primary Sidebar

Download our free estate planning worksheet

There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Testimonials

5 Stars
Client Review
September 3, 2020
    

We initiated estate planning following a presentation by Sinclair Prosser Attorney Jon Gasior. We were so impressed, we contracted with them to complete our estate planning. Subsequently, we assembled information on our assets and Sinclair Prosser Gasior did the rest. Correspondence was communicated to our financial institutions and the estate was established. We were very pleased with the courteous manner of the Sinclair Prosser Gasior staff. However, it was their professionalism that made us satisfied we chose this firm to handle our estate. We have nothing but praise for Sinclair Prosser Gasior .

default image
– Walter K.

Blog Subscription

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

ANNAPOLIS

900 Bestgate Road
Suite 103, Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Phone: (410) 573-4818
Fax: (410) 573-2802

BOWIE

4201 Mitchellville Road
Suite 403, Bowie, MD 20716
Phone: (301) 970-8080
Fax: (410) 573-2802

MILLERSVILLE

1520 Jabez Run Rd
Suite 300, Millersville, Maryland 21108
Phone: (410) 573-4818
Fax: (410) 573-2802

WALDORF

Hamilton Centre II
3261 Old Washington Road, Suite 2020 Waldorf, MD 20602
Phone: 800-366-4615

Map

map for office

Footer

footer logo
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

The information on this Maryland Attorneys & Lawyers / Law Firm website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this or associated pages, documents, comments, answers, emails, or other communications should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information on this website is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing of this information does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

© 2022 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys| Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Disclaimer | Site Map