With the April 15 tax deadline just days away, officials are warning Georgia residents to be on high alert for scams targeting taxpayers during one of the busiest times of the year.
Chattooga County Tax Commissioner Joy Hampton is warning residents about a scam involving fake notices claiming your vehicle registration is about to be canceled.
The scam message appears to come from a Georgia court and threatens enforcement action over an alleged traffic violation. It often includes a QR code and urges immediate action.
Officials say the notice is fraudulent and designed to scare recipients into responding or providing personal information.
Hampton urges residents to be cautious and look for red flags, including missing personal details like your name, license plate number, or address. She also warns never to scan QR codes or respond to suspicious messages.
If you receive a message like this, do not engage. Instead, report it and verify any concerns directly through official state or county offices.
Authorities remind residents that legitimate government agencies will not request sensitive information through unsolicited messages.
A pedestrian was injured Thursday evening following a vehicle accident at a busy Summerville intersection.
According to the crash report, the incident occurred around 6:43 PM on March 26th at the intersection of Rome Boulevard and Lyerly Highway.
Authorities say a pickup truck driven by a 61-year-old Lyerly man, identified as Carlton Battles, was traveling north on Rome Boulevard and was turning left onto Lyerly Highway when the collision occurred.
The pedestrian, a 28-year-old Summerville woman, identified as Derrian Baker, was walking north along the sidewalk and entered the crosswalk to cross Lyerly Highway while traffic was stopped at a red light.
Investigators say the driver reported that sun glare obstructed his vision, and he did not see the pedestrian until the moment of impact. A witness at the scene told officers the pedestrian was clearly within the crosswalk when she was struck.
Police say the woman was hit by the vehicle’s side mirror and knocked to the ground. She was transported by EMS to Floyd Hospital with complaints of pain to her right foot and ankle.
Battles was cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, according to the report that was released to WZQZ on Friday afternoon.
Chattooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader is warning residents to be on alert for a scam involving emails that appear to come from the Sheriff’s Office.