A Jewish businessowner in Jackson tells Lakewood Alerts that he received a fraudulent, but seemingly authentic, document in the mail claiming that his property could be subject to seizure or forfeiture due to non-payment of taxes.
The first clue that the letter was fraudulent was the letter title, which stated that it was a “Distraint Warrant.” No tax agency uses any sort of letter called a Distraint Warrant – it’s not a thing that actually exists.
Skeptical, the business owner called the number on the letter. A man answered the phone and asked the business owner what his notice number was, claiming that he was from a private law firm that could help him resolve his tax problem.
Why would a letter from tax officials include a number to a private firm? Because it’s a scam.
Concerningly, the letter does appear to the untrained eye as authentic, and less skeptical business owners – or just ones that panic upon receiving a similar letter – could potentially call the number and hand over payment info to fraudsters.
