The Michigan Department of Treasury is cautioning local residents about a collections scam in which aggressive letters threaten to seize the potential victim’s property and social security benefits.

The Department of Treasury says that Michigan taxpayers with past-due tax debts should be aware of the scam that’s making the rounds through the U.S. Postal Service. In the scheme, taxpayers receive what appears to be a government-looking letter about an overdue tax bill, asking individuals to immediately contact a toll-free number to resolve a state tax debt.

The letter aggressively threatens to seize a taxpayer’s assets, including property and Social Security benefits, if the state tax debt is not settled. The piece of correspondence appears credible to the taxpayer because it uses specific personal facts about their real outstanding tax debt that’s pulled directly from publicly available information. The scammer’s letter attempts to lure the taxpayer into a situation where they could make a payment to a criminal.

The state Treasury Department reminds that it corresponds with taxpayers through official letters sent through the U.S. Postal Service, providing several options to resolve an outstanding debt and information outlining taxpayer rights. Taxpayers who receive a letter from a scammer or have questions about their state debts should call Treasury’s Collections Service Center at 517-636-5265. A customer service representative can log the scam, verify outstanding state debts and provide flexible payment options.