Milton and Canton homeowners are being targeted by a direct-mail solicitation charging up to $128 for a certified copy of their property deed, a document the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds provides for about $3.

Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O'Donnell issued the warning Friday, Sept. 18, saying the Registry has heard from multiple residents who received the mailer. The solicitation targets homeowners across Norfolk County.

The mailer is labeled "Recorded Deed Notice" and asks homeowners to send a check ranging from $60 to $128 within 21 days. O'Donnell said consumers interpret the notice as a bill because it carries a due date.

O'Donnell called the solicitation "a scam being perpetrated against hard working Norfolk County residents," noting that many targeted homeowners are first-time buyers or elderly.

He described the solicitation as potentially legal but unconscionable, saying it takes needless advantage of people.

What the deed actually costs

Homeowners can print a non-certified copy of their deed for free from the Registry's website. A certified copy from the Registry costs $1 per page plus $1 for postage. Most residential deeds run two pages, putting the total at about $3 by mail.

The Milton Times reported in an April 3 article the same pricing: $1 per page in person, or $2 for the first page and $1 for each additional page by mail.

Who is behind the mailer

According to O'Donnell, the solicitation comes from a company formerly based in California that recently moved operations to Nevada. He said the company has been sending these mailers for a number of years. The Registry's warning did not name the company.

How to verify

Residents who receive a suspicious deed-related mailer can contact the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds Customer Service Center at (781) 461-6101 or by email at [email protected]. The Registry is located at 649 High St. in Dedham.