SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — Assessor Larry Stone warned homeowners Monday of a recent deceptive mailer from a private company designed to look like an official government document. The solicitation comes from a misleadingly named company, "Local Property Office," and offers to provide a copy of a property owner's deed and assessment information for $89, Stone said.

"It's simply outrageous," Stone said. "No homeowner should pay $89 for assessment information that is available for FREE on the Assessor's website." The alleged scam has surfaced right as Santa Clara County property owners were mailed their official Annual Notification Letter on June 29, the Assessor said. The notice was mailed to 490,146 property owners and provides each property's 2018-2019 assessed value. The notice serves as the basis for the property tax bill mailed in the fall, Stone said.

"Don't be confused," Stone said. "Letters from the Assessor's Office have the County Seal and never demand payment." Property owners who question the assessed value printed on their notice are encouraged to take advantage of the Assessor's free online tool, available 24/7, enabling property owners to review the sale of comparable properties the Assessor uses to determine their assessment, he said. An interactive service modeled after online banking, the Opt-In Tool allows taxpayers to securely receive assessment notices, in addition to interacting with the Assessor's Office electronically rather than by mail, telephone or in person. To access the data, a property owner must have a user name and password, or the PIN listed in the annual assessment notice.

In addition, copies of official deeds are available for $6 online from the County Recorder, which offers a variety of services and information online, by mail or at its office. "Property owners should never pay an outrageous fee to a third party when the information is readily available for free or for a nominal charge from the County," Stone said.

"Throughout California and the nation, these hucksters have preyed on trusting homeowners and have been the subject of consumer alerts," he said. "My bottom line to homeowners, never pay a third party for a service the government makes available for free or for a nominal fee."

Any homeowners who have questions are encouraged to contact the Assessor's Public Service Desk through the website Sccassessor.org, by email at assessor@asr.sccgov.org or by phone at 408-299-5500.