“Property Transfer Service, owned by Neil Camenker of California, had been operating in Connecticut since at least early 2013, sending homeowners notices recommending that they obtain their property deeds for approximately $80,” Consumer Protection Commissioner William M. Rubenstein said. “This scheme was similar to that being run by Brian Pascal and Record Retrieval Services, which we barred earlier this year from doing business in Connecticut.”
Property Transfer Service and its sister companies, Secured Document Services and Compliance Document Services are all owned by Camenker. In 2011, another Camenker-owned company, State Record Retrieval Board, was enjoined from offering paid grant deed services in Washington state and Iowa.
It appears that a handful of operators across the country each run several companies that offer this service under different names, so consumers may see this type of solicitation over and over again. The Department of Consumer Protection advises consumers who receive such offers to ignore them or send a copy to the Department of Consumer Protection. Do not send payment for a Grant Deed. These public records can be easily and inexpensively obtained from a local municipal office.
“Anyone in need of property records may access land records at their Town Clerk’s Office, or in some cases, online at their municipality’s website,” Rubenstein said. “Copies of land records typically cost a dollar per page and two dollars for a certified record.”
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