LANSING, Mich. — There is a new and aggressive scam making the rounds through the U.S. Postal Service that's targeting Michiganders with tax debt, according to the Michigan Department of Treasury.
In the scheme, taxpayers receive a letter about an overdue tax bill, asking individuals to immediately contact a toll-free number to resolve an outstanding state tax debt. The state Treasury Department says the letter aggressively threatens to seize a taxpayer’s assets -- including property and Social Security benefits -- if the debt is not settled.
“This is a tricky scam that has been reported throughout the state,” said Deputy State Treasurer Ann Good, who oversees Treasury’s Financial and Administrative Services programs. “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 says the letter appears credible, because it uses specific personal facts pulled directly from publicly available information.
The state Treasury Department said it does correspond 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.
RELATED VIDEO:
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
