The Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs and the Treasurer and Tax Collector are asking the public to be aware of a scam targeting property owners with threats demanding payments through unsolicited phone calls or emails.
THE SCAM:
Property owners in LA County and surrounding counties are being contacted through phone calls or emails which falsely claim to be official County notices. They will demand payment of property taxes or debts associated with property taxes. The correspondence looks and sounds legitimate and often convinces people to pay what they believe they owe.
THE TRUTH:
This is a classic government lookalike scam, where scammers pretend to be legitimate government officials seeking to trick people into giving up money or personal information.
The LA County Treasurer and Tax Collector does not contact taxpayers unsolicited asking to collect debt or request personal information.
If you receive a call, email, text message, or any other unexpected correspondence that you find suspicious, do not reply to the sender. Instead, reach out directly to LA County agencies. If you have general questions about your property taxes, call the Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector at (213) 974-2111.
Taxpayers can pay their property taxes securely online at propertytax.lacounty.gov. Send payments by mail to P.O. Box 54018, Los Angeles, CA 90054-0018. Pay in person at 225 N. Hill Street, First Floor Lobby, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Pay by telephone at (888) 473-0835.
Check TTC’s Property Tax Scams page to learn about the latest scams affecting taxpayers.
