Montgomery County Homeowner Deed Scam Alert
Montgomery County homeowners are targeted by scam mailers mimicking government documents, demanding $100-$150 for property deed copies.
CONROE, Texas — Homeowners in Montgomery County are being urged to exercise extreme caution after a wave of deceptive mailers began targeting individuals who have recently purchased or refinanced property.
The Montgomery County Clerk’s Office issued an official alert this week warning residents about solicitations that mimic government documents. These letters often arrive in plain yellow or white envelopes designed to appear as formal correspondence from a state or county agency. Many of the letters list a return address for a “Processing Center” in Austin, Texas, a tactic used to create a false sense of legitimacy.
Inside, the documents utilize urgent, authoritative language, often headlined with phrases like “Notice of Potential Lien,” “Deed Processing Notice,” or “Grant Deed Copy.” The solicitations demand a processing fee—typically ranging from $100 to $150—in exchange for a copy of the recipient’s property deed.
County Clerk Jessi K. Lane and Chief Deputy Clerk Cindy Bergman are clarifying that these mailings are predatory and fraudulent. While the solicitations may reference legitimate public information, the services offered are unnecessary.
Property deeds are public records, and obtaining a certified copy through the Montgomery County Clerk’s Office costs only a nominal fee—a fraction of the price requested by the scammers.
This is not a new tactic, but officials report a significant increase in complaints from local homeowners throughout the week. The Clerk’s Office advises residents who receive these mailers to discard them immediately. Do not send payment, and do not provide any personal or banking information to the companies listed on the notices.
Consumer protection experts note that these companies scan public property transfer records, which are filed when a home sale or refinance is finalized. Because these filings are public, scammers can easily identify new homeowners and send these targeted mailers shortly after a property transaction is recorded.
If you have already received such a document and are unsure of its validity, do not rely on the phone numbers provided in the letter. Instead, contact the Montgomery County Clerk’s Office directly at 936-539-7885 or visit their official website at mctxclerk.org to verify any requests regarding property records.
Officials also recommend reporting these solicitations to help law enforcement track the perpetrators. Suspicious mail should be reported to:
The Texas Attorney General’s Office: Consumers can file a complaint online at texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Reports can be filed at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
The Montgomery County Clerk’s Office maintains that official business regarding property records will never be conducted through high-pressure sales letters from out-of-town processing centers. When in doubt, homeowners should always contact their local county office first.