Live Radio
photo credit: Napa County
Authorities in Napa County are advising residents to take seriously any notices of property tax delinquency after a scam involving stolen checks was reported.
Thieves have allegedly taken paper checks sent by mail, altering them and cashing them, according to the Napa County Sheriff's Office and Napa County Treasurer-Tax Collector.Fake phone calls and text messages have also been reportedly sent to victims by people posing as the customers' bank alerting them to fraud, but those contacts are also scams.
Potential fraud victims should not provide personal information to any caller asking for banking or identifying details. Hang up and contact your financial institution directly.
Local banks in Napa County have reported multiple instances of this type of scam.
Taxpayers who think they have successfully paid their property taxes might not be aware they have been the victims of theft until the delinquent tax notice arrives.
The Sheriff's Office said "several" property tax checks had recently been stolen and altered so that the recipient's or payee's information is removed and replaced. That allows the checks to be fraudulently deposited, which could lead victims to incorrectly believe they have paid their property taxes.
The deadline to file property taxes was April 10. Delinquency notices started going out April 17, according to Treasurer-Tax Collector Bob Minahen.
"My office is prepared to help Napa County taxpayers determine if they have been a victim of felony mail fraud and answer any questions about delinquency notices received as a result of this criminal activity," Minahen said in a statement. "We are working in close coordination with the Sheriff's Office and stand ready to assist in any way we can."
Residents can check their payment status at https://common2.mptsweb.com/mbc/napa/tax/search
Anyone who received a delinquency notice was urged not to ignore it, as it could be an indication the check was stolen and not received by the county.
