How to Handle Fake Home Warranty Letter Scams
Monday, November 10th, 2025Home warranty scam letters are flooding mailboxes across the country. This is how to identify a fake and defend yourself against scams.
If you own a property, you have probably seen a letter that uses frightening language in regards to your property. The envelope appears to be official. The letter provides a so-called “final notice” and tells you to call a number about expiring home warranty coverage, even if you don’t even have a home warranty.
Many of these mailers are designed to push you into a quick sale of a product that you never even inquired about, or worse - harvest your personal and payment information so that you get into a contract that you never signed up for.
The Federal Trade Commission has warned multiple times that salespersons on the other end of the line might be simply trying to persuade you this is a compulsory service. It is not.
What these letters are and why do they seem convincing
The home warranty division scam pitch usually claims to come from a home warranty division or department. It often mentions your mortgage lender by name, which makes the letter feel as if this is a legitimate inquiry that is associated with them, but it most certainly isn’t as your mortgage provider’s name can be pulled from public records after a recent home purchase. Hence, the mailer is not proof of any real relationship. This letter’s format is intentionally mimicking how official notices look like, with official letterheads and a notice to “OPEN IMMEDIATELY", which leans on fear of a lapse of coverage, and urges an immediate response. Some even include a check style voucher to prompt a call.
What happens if you call
People who dial the number often reach a salesperson who pushes a service contract for appliances and systems by a company that had no prior connection with you. The caller may press for your card number or other personal data and may hint that you could lose coverage if you do not act today. This is a known pattern intended to rush customers into action before they figure out what’s actually going on.
Are all home warranty letters scams
Not every piece of mail that references home warranties is outright fraud, aggressive marketing from real companies, or illegal lookalikes that impersonate official sources. Some companies provide a legitimate service and some customers do forget about renewing their home warranty plan that they bought as a part of their home purchase. It’s up to you to be a savvy consumer and identify whether the letter was actually intended for you by a company that is providing a service for you or a scam tactic pushing you into a corner by preying on your ignorance.
Quick checks that catch most scams
- Look for a small print that says the letter is not from your mortgage company.
- Check the reference number. See if it matches your real loan or a real warranty account.
- Ask yourself if this is the first time you got a letter like this. If it says “final notice” but you never got one before, that is a red flag.
- Be careful with letters that look like checks or ask you to pay by phone.
- Call your lender or warranty company using the phone number on your real statement or their website, not the one in the letter.
What to do if you feel into a home warranty division scam
Move fast to get reimbursed before the scammer disappears!
If you paid by a credit card then you can ask your card issuer for a dispute. If you have wired the funds, then you can ask your bank for a dispute and transfer reversal, as well as not authorizing further transactions. If you shared sensitive data, get in touch with the credit bureau and consider a credit freeze. And of course, report to the FTC and your state attorney general, so that others don’t fall into the same scam.
home warranty, scam letters, defend yourself
