Scam alert
Caller Says Your Property Taxes Are Overdue? Call the Tax Office
Posted
Brick Township, New Jersey · patch.com · Arrives by a phone call
The short answer
A caller who says your property taxes are overdue and that you must pay right now, over the phone, is a reason to hang up. In October 2026, Brick Township, New Jersey, warned that callers claiming to represent its tax collector were demanding immediate payment, and said the township will never call to demand immediate tax payments and does not accept tax payments by phone. Do not give the caller personal or financial information. Call your tax office yourself, using the number on your tax bill or the official website, to check your balance.
What is happening
On October 21, 2026, Brick Township, New Jersey, police and officials warned that residents were getting calls from people claiming to represent the township's tax collector, saying their property taxes were overdue and demanding immediate payment over the phone, Patch reported. Officials said the township will never call and demand immediate tax payments and does not accept tax payments by phone, and police warned that scammers can manipulate caller ID so a call appears to come from a government office. On October 23, Star News Group reported that Mayor Lisa Crate repeated the warning, said the township will never ask for money over the phone, and pointed residents to the tax collector's office at 732-262-1021.
How to recognize it
- A caller says they represent your town's tax collector and that your property taxes are overdue.
- The caller demands immediate payment over the phone.
- Caller ID shows what looks like a government office. Brick Township police said scammers can manipulate caller ID.
- The caller wants payment by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or another unusual method.
What to do instead
- Hang up. Do not give the caller your Social Security number, bank account, or card numbers.
- Call your tax collector's office yourself, using the contact information on your town's official website. In Brick Township, the mayor gave the tax collector's number as 732-262-1021.
- Do not follow payment instructions from the caller, especially for gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.
- Share the warning with older relatives and neighbors, as Brick Township asked residents to do.
- If you want to tell someone, the rule is: hang up on a tax payment call, then call the tax office yourself.
If it already happened
Responding to one of these is common and understandable. These steps are what people usually take next.
- These callers use the name of your own town and a real bill people expect, so believing them is easy.
- If you made a payment or shared financial details, contact your bank or credit card company right away, as Brick officials advised.
- Report the call to your local police.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, keeping the number that called and what the caller said.
Common questions
- Does every town handle tax calls the same way?
- No. Tax offices work differently. Brick Township said it never calls to demand immediate payment and does not take tax payments by phone. Wherever you live, the safe check is to call your tax office yourself on a number from your tax bill or the official website.
- The call showed a town number. Is it real?
- Not necessarily. Brick Township police warned that scammers can manipulate caller ID so a call appears to come from a real government office or phone number. Hang up and call the office yourself.
Practice this safely
Practice hanging up on an urgent payment call and checking your balance with the tax office yourself.
Every story is fictional. There is no timer, no score, and no real message, payment, or account.
Tell someone
Copy a short note you can paste into a text or email. It names the scam, the next step, and this page. Nothing is sent from this site.
Caller Says Your Property Taxes Are Overdue? Call the Tax Office A caller who says your property taxes are overdue and that you must pay right now, over the phone, is a reason to hang up. In October 2026, Brick Township, New Jersey, warned that callers claiming to represent its tax collector were demanding immediate payment, and said the township will never call to demand immediate tax payments and does not accept tax payments by phone. Do not give the caller personal or financial information. Call your tax office yourself, using the number on your tax bill or the official website, to check your balance. Read the full alert: https://endscamsproject.com/latest-scams/local-tax-collector-impersonation-call-scam
Where this comes from
These links open the published sources in a new tab. The destination is shown before you open it.
The full guide on this
More recent alerts
This alert provides general educational information drawn from the sources above. It cannot determine whether a specific message you received is genuine, investigate an incident, or promise recovery or reimbursement.