RivCo Property Owners Warned About Potential Property Assessment Scams

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Did you get a strange email or call regarding your property tax? All Riverside County property owners should verify unexpected emails, phone calls, letters and online messages offering property tax relief or assessment reductions, county officials warned.

Though the Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder's Office has not received reports of the scams locally, officials in other California counties have warned of fraudulent communications involving supposed property tax relief programs. Also, calls and emails have been noted regarding business property assessments and messages made to appear as though they came from a government agency, they said.

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County assessors share information about emerging threats through the California Assessors' Association, according to Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder Peter Aldana.

"When another county encounters an issue that could eventually affect Riverside County residents, we want to know about it," Aldana said. "We may not be seeing these specific scams here, but we can make sure our residents know what to look for and where to turn when something does not seem right."

Property owners are encouraged to be wary of unfamiliar government programs, promises of guaranteed assessment reductions and claims that cannot be confirmed through an official government source, according to a statement released by the county Wednesday.

Government language, logos and official-looking documents do not necessarily mean a communication is legitimate. Residents should find an agency's official website or published telephone number independently instead of relying on contact information included in an unexpected message.

Under Proposition 13, California property is generally reassessed at market value following a change in ownership unless an exclusion applies. Annual inflation-related increases in assessed value are then generally limited to no more than 2 percent. New construction may also trigger reassessment.

Proposition 8 allows a property to be assessed at a lower market value when its value as of Jan. 1 falls below its Proposition 13 value. The assessment is reviewed annually until the property's market value recovers.

Qualifying property owners may also be eligible for programs including the Homeowners' Exemption, Disabled Veterans' Exemption and Proposition 19 base-year value transfers.

The Assessor's Office determines property values and administers exemptions, exclusions and other assessment programs. It does not collect property taxes.

"California's property tax laws provide important protections, but they can be complex," Aldana said. "Our responsibility goes beyond accurately determining assessed values. We also want property owners to have reliable information, understand the protections available to them and know they can contact our office when they have questions."

Since 2011, the office's Courtesy Notice program has mailed alerts when deeds, deeds of trust and similar documents are recorded. The notices can help property owners identify potentially unauthorized activity involving their property.

Questions about Riverside County property assessments or assessor-administered programs can be directed to the Assessor's Office at 951-955-6200. Additional information is available at rivcoacr.org.