Goddard sues company over property-tax letters
33 comments by Angelique Soenarie – Aug. 15, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
State Attorney General Terry Goddard filed a lawsuit and received a temporary restraining order against a California firm that has mailed thousands of official-looking letters soliciting money in exchange for a property-tax-assessment analysis.
The letters carry the name Property Tax Review Board Inc. and imply that the company can reduce property-tax bills if residents pay $189.
Goddard said the advertisement violates Arizona’s Consumer Fraud Act because of its official appearance and because the deadline for property-tax appeals was in April. OAS_AD(‘ArticleFlex_1’)
Goddard himself received a letter at his home Thursday and said the personalized advertisement “is close enough that it would really grab my attention.”
The letter does state that it is from a non-government agency but only in fine print.
“We are hoping we are going to be able to protect anybody else from this,” Goddard said, adding that his office received hundreds of calls, including complaints from the state’s 15 county assessors.
Mesa resident William Rogers Jr., 81, said he received a letter Thursday and was suspicious. He said he was concerned that newcomers to the area might be taken in.
“Heck, they might see this and write a check to reduce taxes,” he said.
He said he called the Better Business Bureau and learned there were other complaints.
The lawsuit names Property Tax Review Board Inc., a Granada Hills, Calif., company; Property Tax Review Board President and CEO Michael McConville of Simi Valley, Calif.; and Carmen Mercer of Tombstone, the owner of the post-office box included in the solicitation.
Attempts to reach McConville and Mercer for comment Friday were unsuccessful.
The restraining order requires the defendants to stop mailing the advertisements and allows postal authorities to intercept any responses.
“Given the sophistication of the solicitation, I’m afraid many people have written $189 (checks) because it is such a compelling piece,” he said.
According to Goddard’s office, Mercer has turned over the post-office box to U.S. postal inspectors and has surrendered the more than 1,000 responses she received.
Goddard said Mercer, who has cooperated with investigators, claimed she was asked by a friend to open the post-office box and did not know what it was going to be used for.
Goddard added that postal inspectors will work to return the money to residents.
The lawsuit seeks to stop the defendants from soliciting property owners, as well as refund payments they’ve already received and pay $10,000 for each violation.
Homeowners can also file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Consumer Information and Complaint section at 800-352-8431 or www.azag.gov.
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