AKRON, Ohio — Before clicking on any website to check your property taxes, Summit County leaders are issuing an urgent warning: A fake website posing as the county’s fiscal office and auditor could put your personal information at risk.
With tax season approaching, officials say many homeowners are going online to verify property tax information, valuations, and recorded documents. Scammers are taking advantage of that surge in traffic by creating look-alike websites that appear legitimate but are not.
“We have homeowners on our website every day verifying property tax information, property valuations, recorded documents — so it is sensitive information,” said Mike Migden, chief of Staff for the Summit County Fiscal Office. “We want to protect property owners and make sure they’re getting accurate information without compromising their personal data.”
The fake website closely resembles the official county site and has appeared in Google search results, making it easy for residents to accidentally click it and unknowingly provide sensitive information.
“It is new. We believe these sites are AI-generated, and we believe they started originating around November of last year,” Migden said. “New ones are being created every day.”
Officials stress that the only official website for the Summit County Fiscal Office is fiscaloffice.summitoh.net. To stay safe, residents are encouraged to type the web address directly into their browser rather than searching for it online.
Migden says Summit County is not alone. Other counties across Ohio, including Stark, Lorain, and Medina, have also been impacted by similar websites.
“We’re trying to work together as an auditor’s association to get this information out and make homeowners aware across the state,” Migden said. “People need to be mindful not to access these fake sites and not to provide any personal information.”
County officials urge residents to report suspicious websites and avoid clicking on unfamiliar or sponsored links when searching for tax information online.
