The Wisconsin Department of Revenue warns seniors to watch out for a scam promising property tax relief.
A viral online video is promoting a nonexistent federal program.
It claims that Congress passed a law providing significant property tax relief for older homeowners, enabling seniors to freeze or reduce property taxes.
The DOR warns that no such federal program or form exists.
"This is an AI-generated video designed to trick seniors into sharing Social Security numbers and banking details, or paying fees for nonexistent filing services," said Wisconsin Secretary of Revenue David Casey. "Property taxes are handled exclusively by local and state governments, not the federal government."
One recommendation is to contact your local municipality directly if you have questions about if a property tax relief program is legitimate.
The following practices will help prevent you from falling victim to scams:
- Question and investigate videos before believing them. Scammers use A.I. tools to create videos that copy the appearance and voices of real people. No matter how real or convincing a video appears, you must practice caution — especially with offers that seem too good to be true.
- Do not share personal details. Government tax and assessor offices will never ask for sensitive personal or financial information over the phone, via text or through unverified online links.
- Verify locally. If you have questions about legitimate property tax relief programs, contact your local municipality directly.
If you encounter a scam, report it directly to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Contact Wisconsin's Consumer Protection Hotline at (800) 422-7128 with questions or if you have lost money or control of your identity to a scam.
