Letter Scam Reported In Minnesota
Scams are everywhere these days. From phone scams to text message scams to phishing scams, it seems there is a new one every single day. Now, there's another one you should be on the lookout for, especially if you live in Minnesota.
The Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office shared photos and details about a new scam that is happening in the area. If this is already happening in the state, it wouldn't take much for it to spread to other parts of the state so be cautious and warn other Minnesotans about this scam.
The Sheriff's Office shared news of the scam on social media Wednesday (April 12th), writing that people in the area were receiving letters in the mail claiming to be from the city or the state. Because it comes in letter form with lots of "official" looking information, it would be easy to fall for.
In the first photo, scammers tried to create a document that looks legitimate, claiming it is from the Tax Processing Center for the IRS. The letter is made out to an actual resident with a real address, making it appear real at first glance. At the top of the letter, it says a date and a debt owed.
In big letters down the page, it says that the letter is the "FINAL DEMAND FOR PAYMENT" in attention-grabbing letters, with another note about unpaid taxes that are owed. There are a few other short paragraphs with a number to call to pay the debt and a date to do so by. It ends by stating that if the debt isn't paid, your things will be liquidated.
The second example of the scam is pretty similar, only in this time the letter tries to emulate a "distraint warrant" and is made out to a real person and their real address. The letter states that they must pay debt or have their things liquidated and that interest will accrue on the debt until it is paid off, creating a sense of urgency and making it more likely someone falls for this.
It's amazing the lengths that scammers will go to now. If I received a letter in the mail, I would assume that it was real because it looks real and has a ton of "legitimate" looking information on it. Plus, it has actual addresses of real people, making it seem even more legitimate.
Crow Wing County includes cities like Brainerd and Baxter, which aren't too far from the Duluth area. It could just be a matter of time before this scam moves into the Northland. If you aren't sure if something is a scam, call the appropriate organization or law enforcement and ask. It could save you a headache in the future.