Attorneys who represent elderly clients have been advised by Cook County Recorder of Deeds Eugene Moore to be alert for two scams that jeopardize the ownership of homes.

One is the “Have You Seen Your Deed Lately?” letter that is being circulated to unwary senior citizens, implying that something may be legally amiss.

The writer offers to provide for $150 a certified copy of a deed, which may be obtained electronically from Moore's office for 50 cents.

The other, and more dangerous, scam is the filing of quitclaim deeds to convey title to residences, often in situations that accompany abuse of elders by relatives or caretakers.

Moore said his office now notifies the grantor when a quitclaim deed is filed to make sure that the owner signed and executed the deed for its intended purpose.

Individuals, or their lawyers, are requested to contact the recorder's office at (312) 603-5050 when such activities by unsavory characters are experienced.

Homeowners also are encouraged to visit the recorder's Web site, www.ccrd.info, and search the database for recordings against title to properties. Anything strange or unfamiliar should be reported.

Moore pointed out that documentary information is accessible to the public, and “there are persons who will abuse this privilege to take advantage of others, which we intend to mitigate as much as possible.”