Scammers Targeting Northern Michigan Residents in Collections Scheme

The Michigan Department of Treasury has released the following information about scammers targeting northern Michigan residents. 

Northern Michigan taxpayers with past-due tax debts should be aware of an aggressive scam making the rounds through the U.S. Postal Service, according to the Michigan Department of Treasury.

Recently, an Emmet County taxpayer received what appeared to be an official-looking letter about an overdue tax bill, asking the individual to immediately contact a toll-free number to resolve their outstanding state tax debt. The letter threatened to seize the taxpayer’s assets ― including property, bank accounts and income ― if the state tax debt wasn’t settled.

The piece of correspondence appeared credible to the taxpayer because it used specific personal facts about their real outstanding tax debt that was pulled directly from publicly available information. The scammer’s letter attempted to lure the taxpayer into a situation where they could make a payment to a criminal.

“Please don’t fall victim to this terrible scam,” State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks said. “Taxpayers have rights. If you have questions about an outstanding state tax debt, please contact us through a verified number so we can talk about options.”

The state Treasury Department corresponds with taxpayers through official letters sent through the U.S. Postal Service, providing several options to resolve an outstanding debt and information outlining taxpayer rights.

Taxpayers who receive a letter from a scammer or have questions about their state debts should call Treasury’s Collections Service Center at 517-636-5265. A customer service representative can log the scam, verify outstanding state debts and provide flexible payment options.

To learn more about Michigan’s taxes and the collections process, go to www.michigan.gov/taxes or follow the state Treasury Department on Twitter at @MITreasury.