Scam Alert: ALTA Mailing Database

ALTA would like to inform its members about fraudulent emails coming from marketing firms indicating that they are selling contact information of companies listed in ALTA’s database.

The email scam asks if the recipient would like to acquire an ALTA list. This scam claims it includes lists for title insurance companies and title abstractors. Mailing list scams try to snag unsuspecting businesses with offers of lists of potential new clients.

ALTA has not provided its list to these companies. Lists can only be legally acquired after ALTA approves marketing pieces that are to be physically mailed to offices. ALTA prohibits anyone other than the association from calling and emailing companies on the ALTA membership list for marketing purposes.

ALTA is reaching out to the domain registrars to alert them of the abuse. This type of advertising violates the federal Lanham Act. ALTA also plans to report the fraudulent domains to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center.

To protect yourself, do not open attachments or click links included in suspicious email. You should also not respond or even “unsubscribe” to messages that seem suspicious.

Here's an example of the fraudulent email: