Attorney General Anthony G. Brown | Official U.S. House Headshot
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown | Official U.S. House Headshot
BALTIMORE, MD – Staff at the Anne Arundel County Tax Department have received complaints of a scam targeting area residents. Letters similar to the one pictured below have been sent claiming to be from the “Tax Assessment Securities” and “Tax Group Seizure Unit” of Anne Arundel County. This is a scam. The letter attempts to scare residents to respond by stating “Seizure of forfeiture may be imminent due to non-payment of taxes.” This is not an official letter from Anne Arundel County or any other government agency. There is no such County agency, and it is believed this is an attempt to scam residents into paying a fake tax debt. There is a bold heading claiming the notice is a “Distraint Warrant” and a toll-free number listed on the letter, which may lead recipients to believe this is a legitimate communication. This is a fraudulent notice from a fictitious agency, and residents should not call the number.
What to Do
If any Marylander has received a similar letter, they should report it to the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 410-528-3228 or consumer@oag.state.md.us. Do not call any phone numbers on the letter, and do not send any money to anyone associated with this letter.
Tips to Avoid Scams
• Be aware of scams. Remember, letters from legitimate businesses or tax authorities are clearly identified in their correspondence, including location/mailing address and contact information.
• If someone calls by phone, and you suspect they are not your bank, or governmental authority or a legitimate business, hang up. If you need to contact your bank or a government agency, call them using the phone number listed on the agency’s official website. Don’t redial any numbers that show up on your caller ID.
• Never give out Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, or any other personal information to someone who calls you.
For more information on avoiding scams and protecting your personal and financial information, visit the Consumer Protection Division’s publications page: https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/Pages/CPD/Tips-Publications/edunit.aspx.
Original source can be found here.
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