Q. My brother, Alexander, recently transferred his residence to a Living Trust Plus ®.  Shortly after, he received a "Deed Processing Notice" in the mail that looks a lot like an official government bill.  It indicated that he and his wife had to pay $83 for a copy of their deed and a "Property Profile.”

The document seemed official to him, as it appeared to have the parcel number for his property (not sure if it is the right one) on it. It seemed legit to me upon first glance, as well, until I saw in very small print that “it is not a bill but a solicitation” and that he can obtain a copy of his deed from the recorder in Fairfax County, where he resides, for "up to $83.00."

Is this something they should pay attention to or is it a scam, as it seems? I want to make sure that they are not missing something that is required of them.  I also want to make sure they don’t get duped.

Speaking of deed scams, I have heard there are others out there, as well, that are targeting seniors and other major scams resurfacing, as well. Can you tell us a little bit more about them so other readers and I are more aware, should we ever get targeted? Thanks for your help!

Dear Hayek,

My mother lives alone and is very trusting. She typically picks up the phone when it rings and has conversations with whoever is calling because she is lonely and loves to chat. I worry that she could easily fall prey to a scam. What is some advice I can provide to her to help her be more vigilant when it comes to con artists and scammers?

Thanks for your help!

Bea Moore-Kayreful