2 Investigators: Letters Falsely Claim Homes Have Been Sold In Tax Auctions

November 18, 2011 12:00 AM " CHICAGO (CBS) — Thousands of people are getting letters saying their home was sold for non-payment of property taxes — when it’s just not true.

Now, county officials are concerned some homeowners may be scammed into paying for services to correct a property tax problem they don’t have.

David Dantzer was stunned when he got the letter from Tax Deed Stoppers and called the 2 Investigators.

The letter read: “As you probably know your property was sold at public auction in August 2009 by the cook County Treasurer’s Office to an investor called a tax buyer.”

“I didn’t know what to do,” Dantzer says. “How can you not freak out and worry about losing your house?”

His attorney, Gene Berkes, made a quick call to the Cook County Clerk’s office.

“They said nothing was sold,” Berkes says.

Dantzer had paid his property taxes late, but well within the deadline to avoid a tax sale.

“This is either fraud or at the very least negligent infliction of emotional distress,” Berkes says.

As for Dantzer, he got mad and called the 2 Investigators.

CBS 2 tried to trace the letter by checking the return address used by Tax Deed Stoppers on its mailings "

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