Be Aware Of Montana Property Tax Rebate Scams

Montana taxpayers applying for a property tax rebate should be on the lookout for suspicious or fraudulent activity. Starting Aug. 24, all Montana property tax rebates will be sent by paper check in the mail.

To reduce the risk of fraud perpetuated by scam artists, the Montana Department of Revenue removed the option for taxpayers to receive the property tax rebate by direct deposit. The department received applications where applicants entered banking information for direct deposit that does not match banking information in the department’s records. While some of these claims are qualified taxpayers that have changed banks, some are criminals filing fraudulent claims.

“We expected fraud and already had measures in place to identify fraudulent applications,” said Montana Department of Revenue Director Brendan Beatty. “Sending the rebates by paper check will help us further reduce fraud.”

Similar to fraudulent tax returns, criminals may try to use stolen names and Social Security numbers to file phony applications for property tax rebates. One scam criminals are employing is an online offer to provide information needed to file a property tax rebate claim for a fee. Staff at the Department of Revenue have received reports of websites charging taxpayers for the geocode of their principal residence.

The fastest way for taxpayers to apply for and get the rebate is by applying online. Claiming a property tax rebate online should take only a few minutes. Montana property taxpayers do not have to pay for any information required to apply for the property tax rebate. To claim their property tax rebate, Montana taxpayers must report their residence’s geocode, a unique 17-digit number that identifies a property and that can be found free of charge from the state at cadastral.mt.gov. The department strongly discourages taxpayers from clicking on any website or link that charges a fee to access public information. For detailed information on how to locate a geocode, visit GetMyRebate.mt.gov.

By applying early at GetMyRebate.mt.gov, taxpayers can reduce the risk that criminals will use their information to claim the rebate. The application period is open and ends on Sunday, Oct. 1, but the department encourages Montanans not to wait. Please contact the Montana Department of Revenue if you believe someone has filed a fraudulent claim on your behalf.

Over 100,000 homeowners have successfully applied for their rebate online since the portal opened on Aug. 15. The department anticipates it will take up to 90 days to process payments and send paper checks by mail.