‘Final notice’: What to know about official-looking home warranty mailers

BALTIMORE — If you own a home, there’s a good chance you’ve seen one of these letters in your mailbox.

They can look important, even official. Some say “FINAL NOTICE,” reference your mortgage company or include something designed to look like a check.

But before you call the number on the letter, the Federal Trade Commission says to take a closer look.

The FTC issued a consumer alert about official-looking property mailers after receiving reports from people who said they called the number expecting to reach a bank, only to be connected with someone trying to sell an extended home warranty or service contract.

WMAR-2 News Mallory Sofastaii received several versions of these mailers at her home. Some warn that her home warranty is expiring or that coverage may have lapsed. Others contain the mortgage company’s name, making the letter appear connected to her lender. Another mailer she received included something that, at first glance, looked like a check.

Those are some of the same tactics highlighted by the FTC.

In its warning, the agency describes mailers that appear to come from a bank, use language such as “FINAL NOTICE,” urge the recipient to call immediately and include what appears to be a refund check. A closer look at the fine print may reveal that the document isn't actually a check.

The FTC says the official appearance and urgent language can be used to get consumers to call, where they may instead encounter a sales pitch for an extended warranty or home service contract.

What should you do if you get one?

The FTC recommends researching the phone number and company or bank name online along with terms such as “review,” “complaint” or “scam.”

If the mailer appears to be from your bank or mortgage company, don't rely on the contact information printed on the letter. Instead, contact your lender using a phone number, email address or website you independently know is legitimate.

And don't let language such as “FINAL NOTICE” or “CALL IMMEDIATELY” rush you into making a purchase.

If you are interested in a home warranty or service contract, the FTC recommends getting the offer in writing, reviewing the terms carefully, researching the company and shopping around before agreeing to anything.

Suspected scams can be reported to the FTC.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.