Hillsborough County tax refund offer looks ‘phishy’ to some

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Many Hillsborough County residents have now received postcards advising them they can apply for a $100 settlement in a tax refund case, but a number of people are wondering if the postcards are real and if the refund offer is legitimate.

A spokesperson for Hillsborough County said they were not advised before the postcards went out.

Pam Davis and her husband, Don Davis, received the postcards in the mail.

“We are kind of suspicious people, so we decided that maybe this wasn’t so true,” Pam Davis said.

Don Davis said several things just didn’t look right with the offer.

“It kind of looked real, but when you clicked submission form, the very first part, there’s like six parts to it,” Don Davis said. “The very first part is they want your name, your address and all of that. They wanted my birthdate. Well, they don’t need that, I don’t think, and to me that’s a clue that it’s a scam.”

News Channel 8 contacted the Florida State Department of Revenue about the issue.

“The notices were not sent by the Department of Revenue, but by a court-appointed administrator,” the agency said in a statement. “We do not have any other information regarding the notices. The Department will issue a Taxpayer Information Publication in November regarding Hillsborough’s temporary surtax suspension when details are finalized.”

The Davises said the postcard still looks fishy to them.

“You look at it and you think this is kind of cool because you’ve heard about the tax, sitting there and waiting and you think they are finally going to give us some money,” Pam Davis said.

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