With tax season deadline looming, scammers continue to adapt when seeking ways to instill fear and intimidate Arkansans.
The Arkansas Attorney General’s office has received reports of a scam being sent through the mail which appears to be a letter from the so-called “Bureau of Tax Enforcement for Pulaski County”—an entity that does NOT exist—claiming the recipient owes money to another state.
The same letter has appeared in various parts of the state using the same format listing other counties as well. “Scammers are determined to steal your hard-earned money and will go to great lengths to intimidate Arkansans,” said Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. “The Bureau of Tax Enforcement for Pulaski County is a fake, unlawful organization and these letters often do not provide a return address, only a phone number.” Attorney General Rutledge released the following tips to use if Arkansans have received a similar letter:
Contact the local tax office to make sure you have no outstanding bills.
Do not verify sensitive information such as social security number and banking information; verifying that information could lead to identity theft.
File a police report with your local law enforcement.
If consumers have questions, then contact the Attorney General’s office.
The scam letter may also request that the recipient purchase gift cards or prepaid debit cards to pay off the “debt.” The scammer will ask for the code on the purchased card, which gives them complete access to money on the card. In most cases, once the prepaid card money is depleted, it cannot be recovered.
