Treasurer warns about property tax scam

COUNTY – Waupaca County Treasurer Mark Sether shared a memo from Wisconsin’s Department of Revenue that warns about an elaborate property tax scam that involves a video produced with artificial intelligence (A.I.).

“This is sad; I get so many calls each year from cash-strapped property owners inquiring about programs, relief, and frozen tax amounts that some states offer but not in Wisconsin. Pass this on to your parents and friends, as this is so nasty and it will be easy to get sucked into this and unfortunately it’s a scam,” wrote Sether.

The memo from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) warns homeowners of a viral online video promoting a nonexistent federal property tax relief program. 

“This is an A.I.-generated video designed to trick seniors into sharing Social Security numbers and banking details, or paying fees for nonexistent filing services,” said Wisconsin Secretary of Revenue David Casey. “Property taxes are handled exclusively by local and state governments, not the federal government.”

Here is the description of the scam from the memo:

“The video claims that Congress passed a law providing significant property tax relief for older homeowners, enabling seniors to freeze or reduce property taxes. Viewers are directed to contact their county assessor and request a ‘Senior Homeowner Tax Review Request’ or ‘IRS Form 1098-SR.’ DOR warns that no such federal program or form exists and the contact information provided to homeowners directs them to scammers, not their county assessors.”