Description

Received a suspicious “final notice” letter claiming to be from a “Private Lender” regarding a property. The letter, dated 11/25/2025, included a fake perforated check for $199 labeled “Allocated Waiver” and urged immediate contact at a toll-free number (1-800-209-5527) to avoid revocation of the waiver within 7 days. It featured a generic “Home Owner ID” (e.g., CH6883281), vague property details, and phrases like “IMMEDIATE RESPONSE REQUESTED” to create urgency. The letter included a disclaimer stating “THIS IS NOT A CHECK” and “Not affiliated with Private Lender,” raising red flags. While a legitimate lender or mortgage company was named, and the language was filled with jargon (e.g., “allocated waiver”) without substance, the lender listed is not the current holder of the homeowner's mortgage, but rather is the one that can be found in public records. The phone number and letter format match reports of mail-based phishing scams targeting recent homeowners, likely using public real estate records. Avoid calling or cashing the check, as it’s a tactic to harvest personal information or money.