Oakland County Clerk Warns Residents About Bogus Postcards

OAKLAND COUNTY, MI — The Oakland County clerk's office is warning residents about a countywide scam.

Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown said residents have contacted the county's deeds office after receiving a postcard with the headings "County Deed Records" and "Home Warranty Division."

The threatening postcard refers to a "lapse in coverage" and encourages the homeowner to call a 1-800 number to "help us to help you satisfy this debt." The postcard also features terms like "Property Lienholder," "Final Notice" and "Registration is Required."

The notice is a sales marketing ploy for home warranty policies priced at thousands of dollars annually, Brown said.

A separate mailing emblazoned with the heading "Third Notice" references a state tax lien and offers a "target settlement amount." The mailings also contain threats of property loss, a bank levy and/or wage garnishment if these debts are not paid.

These mailings are not authorized by any department of the Oakland County government and residents should not send over money under any circumstances, Brown said.

"Unfortunately, scammers and fraudsters are getting more and more savvy in the ways they attempt to bait and mislead homeowners," Brown said. "I urge people to be wary of unsolicited demands for money. If you receive these or similar suspicious communications in your mailbox, please know that it is not from my office and has no bearing on the status of your property. The best course of action is to dispose of these the same way you would any other piece of junk mail."