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Companies Charge Excessive Fees and Gather Sensitive Information

Press Release

(Woodland, CA) – August 12, 2016 – The Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, in
conjunction with the Yolo County Clerk Recorder, is warning community members about
a real estate practice that is on the rise involving companies that encourage homeowners
to pay money to a third-party for copies of their property documents. These companies
are known to charge residents upwards of $80 for title deed copies and often ask for
identifying and confidential information, including social security numbers, to complete
the transaction.

The letters often contain public information from the Yolo County Clerk Recorder’s
office and can look like an official government document. Residents should be aware
that the Clerk Recorder’s Office rarely sends letters to community members, and they
will never ask for personal information. In addition, property documents are public
records, meaning that neither homeowners nor companies need to show identification nor
provide their social security number to receive copies of these documents.

The Yolo County District Attorney’s Office recommends that homeowners obtain copies
of property documents directly through the Yolo County Clerk Recorder. These copies
can be requested via mail or in person at the Clerk Recorder’s Office in Woodland. The
office charges $7.35 for the first page of a title deed copy and $2.00 for each additional
page. Residents also receive the original copies of their deeds two to three weeks after
they are recorded.

To receive more information about obtaining copies of property documents, visit the
Yolo County Clerk Recorder’s website at www.yolorecorder.org/recording/copies. Please
visit the Yolo County District Attorney at www.yoloda.website-development.info/public_html for more information or call
855-4-YOLO-DA to speak to someone about this alert.

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