The Sanilac County Treasurer’s Office is alerting residents to a fraudulent mail scam circulating in the area.
The letter, titled “Priority Tax Notice” or “Resolution of Back Tax Debt,” falsely claims that a tax lien has been filed through the county court and demands that the recipient take immediate action.
These letters are not from the Sanilac County Sheriff’s Office, the State of Michigan Department of Treasury or the Internal Revenue Service. The letters list phone numbers that are not legitimate, with the mailing an attempt to obtain personal or financial information from unsuspecting residents.
County Treasurer Trudy Bowers emphasized that the mailing is deceptive, stating that the notice is designed to look official and thus frighten people into calling or making payments. Bowers reassured that the county treasurer’s office does not send tax lien notices through third-party companies or demand contact through toll-free numbers, and encourages those who have received such letters to report them.
Residents are urged not to call any number listed on the letter, or provide any information, be it personal, banking or Social Security. If you have concerns about your property taxes or potential liens, contact the Sanilac County Treasurer’s Office directly at (810) 648-2127, or the Sanilac County Register of Deeds Office at (810) 648-2313.
Scam letters can be reported to the Michigan Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division or the Federal Trade Commission. If you did make a payment before learning it was a scam, please call the Sanilac County Central Dispatch at 1-810-648-2000, extension 2.
The treasurer’s office reminds residents that legitimate tax-related correspondence from the office will be mailed from an official county address, never request payment information by phone or email, and always provide clear instructions for contacting verified county offices.
Residents are also encouraged to share this information with friends, family and neighbors who may be likely to receive or respond to this scam.
