California Property Tax Scams
The second installment of San Diego real property tax was due February 1st and becomes delinquent after April 10th. If the delinquent date falls on a weekend or holiday, you have until the close of the next business day to pay your tax bill. So, with April 10th fast approching, San Diego homeowners should be careful of tax scams.
California PROPERTY TAX SCAMS
Companies using official-sounding names like “Tax Review,†“Tax Adjusters†and “Tax Reassessment†seek to scam homeowners who are worried about their property taxes and declining property values. They send misleading mailers that look like official government agency documents to trick you into sending them money to try to lower your property taxes. They also use addresses like “Regional Processing Center†to make you think the mail is coming from a government agency. Sometimes, they threaten to impose a late fee if you don’t send them money by a certain date.
Don’t be fooled. Government agencies don’t charge for tax reassessment—it’s free. If your property has declined in value and you think your property tax is incorrect, you can request a review of your property from your local tax assessor. For more information, contact your county tax assessor’s office.
What you can do to avoid becoming a victim:
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DON’T PAY MONEY FOR SOMETHING YOU DID NOT ASK FOR.
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CONTACT YOUR COUNTY ASSESSOR’S OFFICE DIRECTLY, DON’T PAY FOR A MIDDLEMAN.
IF YOU ARE A VICTIM OF THIS SCAM, you can file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Public Inquiry Unit at www.ag.ca.gov/consumers or by writing to P.O. Box 944255, Sacramento, CA 94244.
