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WINTON – The Hertford County Tax Collector is warning property owners of a text message scam now circulating.

The scam involves tax notices sent via a text message.

“We do not send notices via text message or through social media,” said Hertford County Tax Collector Tammy H. Eason. “Please be aware that this scam is not associated with Hertford County Tax Collector’s Office.”

If you receive a suspicious text, Eason suggested not to click on any links within that message and do not rely to the message.

“I would also suggest to block the number from which the text message was sent and to report it to your cell phone carrier,” Eason added.

These types of scams are known as phishing, which is a fraudulent attempt by criminals to obtain and use personal and financial information by sending messages via SMS/text or email that appear to contain genuine links from legitimate companies or organizations, to include county government.

In the case of the Hertford County taxpayer who received the phishing text, the information shown in regards to the amount of property tax due was correct.

“Anybody can go to our website, view tax cards, and gain information on the amount due for each taxable parcel in the county,” Eason explained. “Using that information makes it look real, because the amount due is correct, but we don’t solicit payments by text message or by email. We mail out the tax bills through the U.S. Postal Service.”

Those bills, for 2024 property tax, will be mailed out later this month or early August, Eason said.