Mariposa County Warns of Property Tax Scam
Mariposa County officials are warning property owners, particularly seniors, about a scam that promises to reduce or freeze property taxes using an IRS form that doesn’t exist.
The scheme centers on a supposed “Form 1098-SR,” which scammers are promoting through social media posts, videos and phone calls.
County officials say there is no IRS Form 1098-SR that allows senior homeowners to reduce or freeze their property taxes.
More concerning, some of those promoting the nonexistent program may ask residents to provide personal or financial information.
A Fake Tax Break
The pitch may sound particularly appealing to seniors living on fixed incomes: complete a federal form and receive relief from rising property taxes.
But the promised program isn’t real.
Officials say scammers are using the supposed 1098-SR form to convince homeowners that they may qualify to have property taxes reduced or frozen.
The misinformation isn’t limited to Mariposa County. Similar warnings about the nonexistent form have surfaced elsewhere, with officials reporting that some of the claims are being spread through AI-generated videos and social media.
There is a legitimate IRS Form 1098, but it is a Mortgage Interest Statement generally used by lenders to report mortgage interest. It does not provide a way to freeze or reduce someone’s property taxes.
How to Protect Yourself
Mariposa County is encouraging residents to be cautious if contacted about a property tax relief program.
Residents should not provide personal or financial information to someone who unexpectedly contacts them about property taxes, and should avoid clicking links or submitting information through websites claiming to process a 1098-SR form.
Anyone interested in a property tax relief program should verify it directly through the county or another official government source rather than using contact information supplied in an unsolicited message, phone call or social media post.
County officials are also encouraging residents who encounter suspected scams to report them to the appropriate authorities.
Real Property Tax Programs Do Exist
Part of what can make scams like this convincing is that legitimate property tax assistance programs are available to some California homeowners.
Mariposa County points to programs including the Homeowners’ Exemption, Proposition 19 and California’s Property Tax Postponement Program.
The Property Tax Postponement Program is administered by the California State Controller’s Office and allows some eligible homeowners to postpone payment of current-year property taxes on their primary residence.
None of those programs, however, have anything to do with a Form 1098-SR.
Stop and Verify
The county’s advice is simple when an unexpected offer sounds convincing: don’t rely on the information provided by the person contacting you.
Instead, independently find the telephone number or website for the government agency supposedly offering the program and verify the claim directly.
For property-tax questions, Mariposa County lists its Assessor’s Office at (209) 966-2332 for questions involving property values and exemptions and the Tax Collector at (209) 966-2621 for questions involving tax payments and bills.
The county is also asking residents to share the warning with family members, friends and neighbors who may be targeted.
For seniors especially, a promise of permanently lower property taxes can sound like welcome news.
In this case, county officials say the safest response is also the simplest: stop before providing any information and verify the offer yourself.