Mariposa, CA — A scam has been circulating locally both online and by phone involving a fake 1098-SR Form.
Mariposa County government officials point out that there is no such 1098-SR form that allows seniors to freeze their property taxes. Scammers have been using videos, social media posts, and phone calls to promote the non-existent form. They have also been asking for personal information.
California does have legitimate property tax programs for eligible homeowners. They include the Homeowners Exemption, Proposition 19, and the Property Tax Postponement Program (administered by the California Controller’s Office).
Mariposa officials stress that none of those programs are related to the non-existent 1098-SR form.
County officials add, “Information from scammers can sound real, so when in doubt, stop and verify using information from an official government website or by contacting the agency yourself through a known legitimate phone number.”
