San Bernardino County tax officials issue scam warning
The San Bernardino County tax collector’s office has issued a warning about scam phone callers with their intent to collect payment by threat.
County Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector Ensen Mason and Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk Chris Wilhite issued the joint warning on Thursday. The scam caller uses a telephone line spoofed to appear as an actual San Bernardino County telephone number.
The fraudulent phone call includes the scam caller using false information to collect a debt or property tax payment from residents.
The caller also threatens the resident with the suspension of their driver’s license if payment is not received, county officials said.
The county tax collector and assessor will not initiate unsolicited phone calls in this manner, the county said.
“County residents need to stay vigilant when providing personal and financial information over the phone or by email,” Mason said. “Anyone receiving a phone call or email requesting payment with pressure or a threat of any kind should immediately contact our office and report the incident.”
“The Assessor-Recorder-Clerk’s office will never call a resident to collect a debt or initiate a call to request personal information over the phone,” Wilhite stated. “Should you receive a call that seems suspicious, do not provide the information the scammer is asking for.”
Local officials encourage residents to be careful when providing personal information over the phone, or by email, and to call their offices if a suspicious call or email is received.
For general questions, the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector can be reached at (909) 387-8322.
Taxpayers can pay their property taxes securely online at mytaxcollector.com, by phone at 909-387-8308, in person, or by mail to the Tax Collector’s Office at 268 West Hospitality Lane, First Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92415-0360.
The Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk can be reached at 909-387-8307 for Assessor services. Also, 909-387-8306 for Recorder-Clerk services, or online at arc.sbcounty.gov. The office is located at 222 West Hospitality Lane San Bernardino, CA 92415.
Text scams
In January, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officials warned residents that scammers will pose as government agencies like the IRS and send text messages claiming they are eligible for a tax refund.
The message often includes enticing phrases like “You are owed a tax refund” or “Claim your refund now” and more times than not, you will find spelling errors in the message. To proceed, you are typically instructed to click on a link, reply to the message, or call a specific number.
Once you engage, scammers may request personal information, such as Social Security numbers, bank account details, or credit card information, to verify your identity for the refund process. Oftentimes, they might demand a processing fee upfront before the supposed refund can be released.
It’s important to remember that government agencies would never request sensitive information or fees through unsolicited text messages.
To stay safe, avoid clicking on links, sharing personal information, or making any payments in response to such messages, police stated.
For more information on other IRS-related scams, visit irs.gov/newsroom/tax-scamsconsumer-alerts.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: San Bernardino County tax officials issue scam warning
