***CONSUMER ALERT*** PROPERTY TAX ADJUSTERS SCAM

PROPERTY TAX ADJUSTERS SCAM http://kezi.com/news/local/167070 The fraud takes place through misleading mailers offering to help you reduce your property taxes for a fee. The letter comes in an envelope that looks like it's coming from a government agency. The company called Property Tax Adjusters asks home owners to send in a $189 check, and they'll fight to appeal your appraised property values.

A letter in Jan Sutten's mailbox brought the kind of news you might get from Publishers Clearing House.

"So I'm thinking this is great, you know, until I got to looking at it," she said.

The letter claims to slash her property assessment value by nearly $100,000.

"They said they could save me an estimated tax savings of $1,300," said Sutten.

Not only did it look legitimate to Jan, it looked legal.

"They have my parcel number. They have how much the land is, the improvements, the real estate, how much I paid for the house. They have everything," she said.

But on closer inspection, the offer raised a giant red flag.

"Then I noticed Grenada, California, and I'm think whoa whoa wait a minute," she said.

Eight of Attorney Dave Carmichael's clients got the same letter.

"I called directory assistance and asked for this company, Property Tax Adjusters in Granada Hills and they said they had no listing," said Carmichael. And that made him suspicious.

"We have 50 states that have 50 different laws on property tax and property tax appeals. And what the letter is talking about, it's apparent they don't have an idea of Oregon law," he said.

Wrong deadlines, wrong values, and the big giveaway, this service should be free through the Lane County Assessor's Office.

"There's no reason to believe they should be paying someone to get those questions answered," said Appraisal Manager Connie Chapman.

Jan Sutten was smart to call the Attorney General's office in Salem. "She said just shred it. It's no good," she said.

To report a suspected scam, contact the Oregon Department of Justice Consumer Hotline at 1-877-877-9392

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• property
• tax
• scam
• ADJUSTERS
• fraudulent