Phone Scam Targeting Marion County Property Owners

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Attorney General’s Office is warning people about a phone scam targeting property taxpayers.

Several Marion County residents have reported scam phone calls to the Marion County Treasurer’s Office, in which the caller claims to be from the Treasurer’s or Auditor’s Office and tells them that their property will be reviewed by the Court or sold the next day unless delinquent property taxes are paid immediately over the phone.

Officials say these scam calls are not coming from local government offices. A treasurer’s office will send information to taxpayers via the Postal Service or email unless a property owner is already in contact with their staff. They will not demand immediate payment over the phone.

Taxpayers who receive any unsolicited calls about property taxes should note the phone number, then hang up and call their local treasurer’s office to confirm it was a scam. Do not give out any personal information or make any payments over the phone.

You should also file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office by visiting www.IndianaConsumer.com or calling 1-888-834-9969.

Officials say that the calls are currently occurring in the Indianapolis area, but it is likely this scam could reach other communities. They warn that everyone should be on guard against impostor phone scams, which continue to target Hoosiers. The similar IRS impostor scam is now the top telephone privacy complaint received by the AG’s Office.

The AG's office offers these tips to avoid getting scammed over the phone by following these tips:

• Don’t let a caller pressure you to take any immediate action.
• Ask for a caller’s contact information and tell them you will call them back. Verify that the number they give you is tied to a legitimate company or government entity by doing your own research.
• Do not wire any money or make payments over the phone unless you have independently verified the caller.
• Hang up on recorded message calls or “robocalls.” Don’t press any numbers.

Click here for more tips on avoiding telephone scams.