This post is specifically for residents in Arizona but who knows if this scam is not going on elsewhere throughout the country. A company called “Property Tax Review Board” or PTRB for short is sending out letters promising homeowners that they can help homeowners reduce their property tax bills for the 2009 tax year for a fee of $189.
Don’t do it – it is a scam!
“These letters are designed to look as if they are coming from a government agency, but are nothing more than an attempt at charging Arizona residents for something they can easily do on their own for free,” Matthew Fehling, BBB President/CEO said.
The letters state that due to the drop in property values, residents need to file again for a reassessment of their 2009 property taxes. However, according to the Maricopa County Assessor’s Office the deadline to file for an administrative review for a possible reduction for the 2009 tax year expired in April 2008.
What that simply means is that you will be throwing your money away. So best advice is to simply throw the letters away or if you want to throw your money away for a service you can do yourself for free, send it to me. 
Postscript: If you look at the comments below, PTRB has defended their action and has indicated that the service they are offering would be for the 2010 tax year. While it is not a scam to offer a “pay-for” service to appeal a homeowner’s property tax assessment, even though the homeowner can do it on their own, I took issue with the fact that the letter PTRB mailed out was not clear on the tax year they’d appeal and suggested that future mailings should be more clear.
So, my original rant was based on the fact that the letter led me to believe they were offering a pay-for service to appeal my 2009 property tax assessment, of which the deadline to appeal has expired.
If in fact PTRB will file an appeal for 2010, then what they are offering is not a scam. However I still feel they should be more forthright in their advertising. Enough said.
{ 83 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
I’m in Los Angeles, and I just got one of these solicitations – coincidentally, on the same day as my new property tax bill. The envelope looks almost identical to the County Tax Assessor’s – even the same postage machine and blue ink. The enclosed form looks so much like my property tax bill that it took a few minutes for me to realize that this is a phony solicitation purposely made to look like my tax bill so that I’ll send them $189.00. The saddest part of this is that the people who will be fooled are senior citizens who either have trouble reading the small print or are not mentally acute enough to understand that this is not an official mailing from the tax assessor. That it arrived on the same day, in the same mail as the actual tax bill is an obvious ploy on the part of these crooks. Shame on these people. This is certainly unethical, but I’m guessing it’s not actually illegal. How do we get them shut down?
I just received the letter.
Thank’s for the heads up everybody.
I did this last year and got screwed. I’m not saying i thought they were an offical agency or anything i read the letter and knew it was a pay for service company, but i did think they would file on my behalf. also they said if i did not qualify i would get my money back.
well…no reduction and no refund! DONT DO IT.
I am in LA County and have received probably 4 of these letters. It is a scam in that the letter is laid out, colored to look official like it has come from the county assessor’s office. Deceiving to say the least.
Thanks All!
I went to easytaxfix.com like Simon suggested and though the letter from the HOMEOWNER PROPERTY TAX REVIEW BOARD said my propose assessed value would go down 60,000 I found out it would go UP 277,000!!! If that isn’t a scam, I don’t know what is! Thanks to all of you for your smart posts.
I two just received a letter from PTRB also happen to get my property tax bill the same day I’m from California. At first I thought it was good. Then I saw the P.O box and only my husband’s name’ and no phone #.. so went on line and find you.. I well not send any money. I’ll send the letter to my congress men. Thank you M. Serrano
I work for an attorney in the Los Angeles Area and was getting ready to forward our client’s property tax bill to him along with Homeowner Property Tax Review Board letter telling of the savings to be had if we pay $189. I went online because I thought it was fishy and found your website which confirmed my thoughts. Thank you for putting this information out there so people can be informed.
Thank you for posting! My husband thought it was legit but I was more skeptical and your blog was the first site when I searched the PTRB.
I’m in CA and the letter is very deceiving since it even looks like real property tax letter – font, has the assessor’s ID number, etc.
So sad that they would try to take advantage of people who might take the bait due to difficult financial situations.
Thanks again for confirming my skepticism about this. If it’s too good to be true, it is.
I reside in TN, and have received this letter for my home in TN, as it states in accordance with California Law. How can this company assess my property tax in TN as a California organization, NOT POSSIBLE. This has all the makings of a SCAM. There are no telephone numbers to cantact anyone for confirmation if they were ligetimate ther would be a service number. Don’t be fooled!
I got one of their letters too. I am in California. I paid $189 understanding that PTRB would help me reassess my property so I wouldn’t have to pay my taxes or at least lower my property taxes. They didn’t do sh**. They just took my money! False hope….exactly.
easytaxfix.com recommended on this site is very good.
I typed in the property address and it told me that I would NOT be able to save significant amount of money by applying for reassessment.
I believe it is an honest business website because it won’t charge you for the information if it is worthwhile for you to apply for reassessment of that property and it tells you honestly if you cannot save enough money in the reassessment.
A crooked company may charge you lots of money to apply and give you false hope even though it knows that your saving is too little to worth applying for reassessment.
I live in Los Angeles. I received a letter from the so-called “HOMEOWNER PROPERTY TAX REVIEW BOARD” as well.
Even though the deadline for reassessment Dec. 31 in LA has not yet passed and it is not illegal for them to design the name of the company and the letter in a format similar to property tax notice to make people think the letter is from the government, I still consider it a scam because it says the Processing fee of $189 is “Now Due”.
The fact is that the home owners do not owe them any money until they sign up to be scammed.
I do not owe them any payment as I have not signed up to be scammed, therefore the expression of Now Due under the $189 is a lie.
However, if it had said “Due On Signing” then it would not be a lie but then people would be less likely to be scammed.
Is there any government agency to crack down on scammers like these?
I called the 800 number printed on the letter today, and the number is no longer in sevice.
I rec’d three letters.(2 in 10/10/09)
I check “CA 90041-0558″ from Google. this Zip Code is
Southwest Museum
P.O. Box 41558
Los Angeles, CA 90041-0558
323-221-2164
Show in “la county arts commision.”
I checked Southwest Museum , the add inf is different.
It need to be verified.
It’s in California too, I rec’d one for 2009 clearly printed in bold black numbers on the outside & inside of the envelope. I did my for free. This should be splashed all over the news 24/7 because property taxes will be done very soon.
If you got suckered into this like I did you can call HPTRB at 1(800)581-0628 and they will give you a refund.
My mom also received a letter in Las Vegas N.V. she was getting ready to mail it out with a check, until i told her to let me check it out on the website first.IM GLAD I DID!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INFORMATION!!! They were about to get one more check!
I got one here in CA today offering to save me 636 bucks on my tax bill, but the assessment reduction it proposes is way off from the notice I already received from my local Tax Assessor. The county just reduced the valuation on my property from 127k to 55k, this company proposed the reduction would go down to 77k, I do better sticking with the county’s proposal yes? Thanks for the heads up I was researching this company and I do believe the CA state attorney general just proscuted a similar company that was taking in fees and not doing what they said they would do regarding reducing a homeowners property taxes by reassessment.
The link below, is from PHX Channel 15 ABC. The story is interesting in that the post office is holding mail to a company called “Property Tax Review Board”. They say there are 3,200 envelopes with checks for approximately $600,000.
The Postal Inspector is calling it a scam. If you sent money you are in luck.
http://www.abc15.com/content/news/investigators/consumeralerts/story/Victims-may-get-money-back-in-property-tax-scheme/ZMThjLrsPEGj-5LQhgXQew.cspx
just a plain thank you
I received a notice from these guys today as well. When I saw the name of the sender, my first thought was what’s this about. On opening up the letter what first caught my eye is that the amount they listed as my 2009 assessment amount was not right, not even close – they listed my 2006 purchase price! I immediately looked closer at the sender block and only on that closer examination did I see the “not a government agency” notice beneath the company name.
In Maricopa County, assessor records are available online – there’s no reason that they should be this far off (in my case approx. 100,000) on my 2009 assessed value if they were a company that were offering a service they intended to deliver to the customers they are targeting.
I and my wife got the letter in our mail box. My wife was insistant that we sign up. But as a Nigerian Attorney, I was uncomfortable with the letter, and asked my wife to allow me do a due dilligence on the company. I called the PTRB on their toll fee # 800-581-0628, and one carolyn answered the phone. I asked if they have a physical address, and she gave me their office in california, with due respect to californians, the memtioning of california, made all my ears to stand out, and I then asked, where is their office in Arizona. she said they do not have office in Arizona, I then asked, if I have serious problems and would want to attend the court proceedings in Arizona, where can I meet their official to discuss these issues. Carolyn, stated they will take care of the problem.
My next move will be calling the Arizona AG’s office, to get more information on this company and the Arizona corporate affairs commission, to see if they are registered company in Arizona.
For now, I will reserve my judgement until my final investigation. The PTRB address given to me is-11856 Balboa Blvd, ste. 230, Grandab, California 91344
Thanks for this information and website.
Looks like Mike Liville is using the old “give up a little to gain credibility” tactic. He says he doesn’t agree with what the business is doing but then goes on to finish by blessing it and saying they are a legit business and its not a scam. He asks questions about Arizona and says he doesn’t agree with this business. Its an old tactic used to gain credibility among strangers online as well as disguise himself.
You guys, I researched these threads, the topics and the names online and those advocating this service above are the owners of the company. Just google the company and you’ll see the same quotes by “Jon Smith” above as you do the owners on official news stories.
BUSTED!!!!!! Looks like Mike Liville above says he doesn’t agree with this business. Funny, because Mike above is the owner. Read this link. The owner says the exact thing said above. Apparently, the owner doesn’t even agree with this type of business. Busted Mike!! http://www.kpho.com/houseandhome/20321829/detail.html
← Previous Comments