Fraudulent Postcard from "County Deed Records" Circulates Again in Iowa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 FRAUDULENT POSTCARD FROM “COUNTY DEED RECORDS” CIRCULATES AGAIN IN IOWA

[ Forest City, Iowa > On Wednesday February 28, 2024 the Winnebago County Recorder’s Office assisted a resident with questions regarding a confusing postcard they received, which was quickly identified as fraudulent and reported to local law enforcement. The postcard claimed to be from “County Deed Records/ Home Warranty Division” with false information about the recipient’s home warranty replacement notice and advising them to call for uninterrupted protection.

The postcard claims, “this is your Warranty Replacement notice advising you to contact our offices so you do not have a lapse in coverage for all available covered components.” They further explain that all repairs and replacements will be covered, which would be reflected on updated paperwork. In addition, they request immediate action by calling or be left vulnerable to expensive repairs and/or product replacement. The Iowa County Recorders Association in partnership with Iowa Land Records and Winnebago County Recorder, Shanna Eastvold, confirmed that this information is not legitimate. Similar illegitimate letters and postcards have been found across the country.

Thankfully, in the Winnebago County incident, the resident came into the Winnebago County Recorder’s office with questions before taking any action. If you or someone you know has received a letter and/or a postcard claiming to be from the County Deed Records/Home Warranty Division, please DO NOT RESPOND to the request in any way.

• Do not pay
• Do not call
• Do not go to the website
• Do not return any mail requests

Winnebago County Recorder, Shanna Eastvold, had this to say about the fraudulent postcard,

“Thankfully the individual, in this case, came to our office to ask questions before taking action. This postcard was NOT sent by County Recorders. Fraudulent activity is getting smarter. We will always do our best to answer your questions, especially when it comes to your safety.”

Since 1839, County Recorders are responsible for the maintenance and management of any official property and real estate documents in the state. The Iowa County Recorders Association was created by Recorders to provide additional resources and governance to each Recorder’s office and supporting staff. Created and maintained by County Recorders and the Electronic Services System, Iowa Land Records is an easy-to-use online database and electronic submission service that allows users to search and submit real estate documents in all of Iowa’s 99 counties.

To find your County Recorder, go to https://iowalandrecords.org/recorder-directory/.

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For more information or questions about this press release, please contact County Recorder, Shanna Eastvold, at [email protected] or by calling 641-585-2094.