Officials Warn of Property Tax Scam Hitting West Michigan

Officials in Kent County have issued a warning to residents after a property tax scam started circulating around West Michigan.

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker has said that many of these scams are both "unethical" and "illegal".

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Winter property tax deadlines are approaching across much of West Michigan, and scammers have decided to use that as an opportunity to scam folks out of their hard-earned money.

How Property Tax Scams Work in West Michigan

Most of the time, these scammers will call, email, text, or even show up at the homes of homeowners trying to scam them.

Most often, these are homeowners who are potentially about to not be able to make their property tax payment, or perhaps are facing foreclosure on their home.

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If you receive correspondence in any form but have not been delinquent on your tax payment, it is likely a scam. In a release, Kent County Treasurer Peter MacGregor said that they'll only try to contact you if you have missed the tax payment deadline.

My office will only contact homeowners if they are delinquent with their property taxes. We also send certified notices and quarterly statements to ensure homeowners are aware of their status and available options. - Peter MacGregor, Kent County Treasurer

The scammers will post as tax specialists, impersonate government representatives, and more.

Both MacGregor and Becker say that if you are contacted by someone regarding delinquent tax issues or foreclosure, contact the Kent County Treasurer's Office right away to verify whether the person contacting you is legitimate or not.