Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O'Donnell warned homeowners Friday, Sept. 18, to throw away a mailer offering certified deed copies for $60 to $128.

The solicitation, labeled "Recorded Deed Notice," asks homeowners to mail a check for up to $128 and sets a 21-day deadline to create urgency, according to a warning posted by the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds. The mailer is not from the county.

The actual cost is far lower. The Registry's fee schedule lists copies at $1 per page, plus $1 for postage per document when ordered by mail. A typical deed runs only a few pages, meaning the scam mailer charges roughly 60 to 128 times what the county would.

O'Donnell, whose office is based at 649 High St. in Dedham, called the fee outrageous in the Registry's post on X. Residents who want a legitimate copy of their deed can contact the Registry directly at (781) 461-6101.

Separate phishing scam targets permit applicants

The deed-copy mailer is a different fraud from phishing emails that have targeted permit applicants in both Needham and Dedham.

Needham's Planning and Community Development Department issued an alert Sept. 14 about fraudulent emails demanding payment for special-permit application fees. The emails use subject lines like "Settlement Required – Application Approval Fee Invoice for Special Permit." The town said its Planning Division will never request fees by email or accept wire transfers. Needham residents who receive suspicious permit-fee emails can call the Planning Department at 781-455-7550, ext. 72513.

Dedham posted a similar warning July 27 about phishing emails sent from a fake town address, "[email protected]." Those emails falsely requested payment for permits, taxes or invoices. The town urged residents not to open emails from that address and to report them as spam.

What to do if you receive the mailer

Residents who receive the deed-copy solicitation should discard it. Anyone unsure whether a mailing from the Registry of Deeds is legitimate can verify by calling (781) 461-6101. The Registry's website, norfolkdeeds.org, lists current fees and services.