You get an official looking e-mail or letter in your mail, informing that your property tax has been reassessed and now is lower than last year.

Scenario 1: The letter might have the letterhead of your city or county offices and might contain a self-addressed envelope, with a PO Box, requesting you to make a payment. Since you are delighted that the tax is lower you promptly put a check in the envelope and post it off.

How to avoid: Don’t fall for this scam; and check with the county’s assessor’s office first to see if this is really their PO Box number. There is no cost for that.

Scenario 2: Victims might also be approached in the same way, but from companies claiming to be property tax assessors that work closely with the authorities.

How to avoid: there is no affiliation between the county’s offices and these kinds of businesses, but if in doubt, contact the office yourself.