Tax collection letters appearing to be government notices could be scams, warns Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Cuomo has directed the New York State Department of Financial Services to investigate complaints by taxpayers of misleading solicitations from private entities.

“This tax season, New Yorkers should be wary of misleading collection notices posing as official government letters used by private entities to prey on taxpayers,” Cuomo said. “I urge anyone who thinks they have received one of these deceptive notices to call the State Tax Department or Department of Financial Services so we can investigate and put an end to these schemes.”

The deceptive notices are typically sent to taxpayers with outstanding tax debt and include threatening phrases such as “state tax warrant notice” and “bank accounts and asset seizure pending.”

To view samples of two notices, go to: www.governor.ny.gov/assets/documents/Notice-2.pdf.

Only when recipients call the toll-free number on the letter do they realize it is not from the State Tax Department, but rather a business claiming to be able to remove the debt for a fraction of the amount owed.

Official state tax notices always include the letterhead of the “New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.”

In addition, when calling the Tax Department, representatives will be able to identify themselves and provide an identification number.

Anyone who believes that they have been the victim of this type of scam should contact the New York State Department of Financial Services’ (DFS) Consumer Help Line at 1-800-342-3736 and DFS will investigate those complaints.