Hilo Tax Scam 03/04/99

HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
SOUTH HILO PATROL DIVISION
OFFICER EDWIN A. NAMOHALA JR.
PHONE: 961-2311
MARCH 4, 1999

MEDIA RELEASE

Hilo police are warning Big Island residents to be on guard against another scam, this one promising to reduce property taxes for a fee.

In the latest scam, a Hilo woman notified police she had received a letter in the mail from an alleged non-governmental agency, “Property Tax Reduction-PTR.” The “agency” gave a fictitious business address as “1664 Bishop Street, Suite 124-309, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96777” and phony phone number as “(888) 726-8491.” The letter also contained a fictitious World Wide Web address, “www.propertytax.com.”

For a fee of $59.50, the letter promised to reduce taxes by $240 on a parcel of land the would-be victim owned.

The letter asked that a check be sent to the fictitious company at “Processing Center, 1801 East Park Court Place, Suite E-106, Santa Ana, California, 92701,” and gave the same phone number.

Police said the only agency that can reduce real property taxes is the County Real Property Tax Office. They’re also asking anyone else receiving a similar letter to call them at 935-3311.

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