Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto has issued the following consumer advisory as part of an ongoing effort to educate consumers.

The Nevada Attorney General is warning consumers that letters which look official are being sent out by an organization which calls itself the "Property Tax Review Board." The Board claims that it can lower property taxes for property owners.

The "Property Tax Reduction Form" claims recipients can save hundreds of dollars on their property taxes for a fee of $189. Carson City Assessor Dave Dawley indicates that the information contained in the letter is based on California law, not Nevada law. In Nevada, property owners do not pay taxes based upon market value. Taxes are calculated on replacement cost new, less depreciation. The Nevada Legislature put a property tax cap into effect in 2005 using the 2004-2005 base year for property taxes. Therefore, the savings the Property Tax Review Board promises are based on faulty data and a Nevada property owner will probably see no savings. If Nevada property owners have questions about the calculation of their property taxes, the local county assessors will provide assistance free of charge. There is no need to pay a third party a $189 fee for this information.

Property Tax Review Board operates in Arizona, Nevada and California and is headquartered in California. California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown, Jr. filed suit on May 12, 2009 against Michael McConville, his brother Sean McConville, and their businesses, Property Tax Reassessment and Property Tax Adjustment Services, in San Diego County Superior Court. According to that lawsuit, the McConville brothers billed tens of thousands of homeowners throughout California nearly $200 each for property tax reassessment services that were almost never performed and are available free of charge from local tax assessors. Few, if any, of the assessment appeals were completed, the suit alleges. In addition, the Ventura County District Attorney's Office has charged one of the brothers, Sean McConville, with 20 felony counts for criminal conduct stemming from his property tax reassessment operations.

Attorney General Masto cautions consumers about responding to solicitations offering guaranteed savings. If consumers have any questions, they should call their local county assessors office. Questions regarding this matter can also be addressed by contacting the Nevada Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection at (775) 684-1169.