HAYWOOD COUNTY, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A couple scams have started circulating around Western North Carolina and authorities want residents to be aware of the dangers.

A newsletter from the Haywood Chamber of Commerce says the county Tax Collector’s Office is warning people about a fraudulent tax scam circulating in the community. Some residents have received letters claiming they owe a substantial tax bill, threatening severe consequences, including asset and property seizure, if they don’t make a payment within a certain amount of time.

Officials said legitimate Haywood County tax correspondents will have the official logo and contact information. These fraudulent communications do not and the scam letters should be disregarded.

“We want to ensure the safety and security of our community members,” Haywood County Tax Collector Sebastian Cothran said in a September newsletter. “It’s essential for residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the proper authorities.”

If you receive one of these fraudulent letters, officials said you should discard it promptly. Additionally, for any concerns or inquiries regarding your tax status, residents should contact the tax office directly. The office is located at 215 N Main Street in Waynesville, or call (828) 452-6643.

Officials said 2024 tax bills will be out this week and the due date for all 2024 bills is Monday, January 6th, 2025.

McDowell County jury duty scam

The McDowell County Sheriff’s Office shared a cautionary tale to warn residents of the dangers of scam calls.

Authorities said in a recent press release that a resident had received a call on Sept. 9 from someone falsely claiming to be a Deputy Myers with the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office. The scammer told the resident she had three charges against her and an arrest warrant against her for missing federal jury duty. She was told she would need to handle the matter by paying a sum of money.

The victim was told to stay on the phone while she traveled to an Ingles in Marion and deposited $4,500 into a Bitcoin machine. Following that conversation, the victim was transferred to a “supervisor” who stated that an additional $4,500 would need to be paid since it was a first time offense. Once the victim reportedly told the scammer that she had arrived at the sheriff’s office, the scammer hung up. When the resident tried to reconnect the call, officials said the number was no longer valid.

“As a reminder, the Sheriff’s Office will not call you requesting money for any matter,” the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office said. “They also will not call requesting bail money for anyone.”

Here are a few tips provided by the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office to avoid being scammed:

• If you do receive a call from someone asking for money, and there is a concern of legitimacy, hang up and call your local law enforcement agency to run it by them.
• You may also ask the caller for a call-back number and advise them you will have local law enforcement call them back.
• If you have access to the internet, search the phone number of the caller. If that number is valid and linked to the bank, company, etc., the number will show online.

What to do if you fall victim to a scam, provided by the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office:

• Contact local law enforcement through non-emergency dispatch to make a report. You will likely need this report when contacting your bank. The McDowell County non-emergency dispatch number is (828) 652-4000.
• Contact your bank to inform them of the scam.
• Check with the 3 major credit bureaus (Exquifax, Experian and TransUnion) to find out if new lines of credit have shown up OR if someone is using your identity to make purchases.
• You can also report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission online at IdenityTheft.gov or by phone at (877) 438-4338.