Crime & Safety
Forsyth County, NC Scam Warning: Do Not Pay Property Letters
Winston Salem, NC – Forsyth County residents are being warned Tuesday not to send money in response to suspicious property record letters arriving in the mail, according to the sheriff's office.
By Paige Sullivan · 2026-09-22T15:24:52.753Z
Winston Salem, NC – Forsyth County residents are being warned Tuesday not to send money in response to suspicious property record letters arriving in the mail, according to the sheriff's office .
According to the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, residents have reported receiving letters resembling an official property records notice and requesting payment. Authorities are urging recipients not to pay without first verifying the request.
The example shared by the sheriff's office identifies itself as coming from a "County Property Records Office" and requests a service fee for property related records. The pictured notice lists a requested response date of Sept. 30.
Officials pointed to several warning signs. The return address on the correspondence is not in Winston Salem, while the requested payment is being directed to Tampa, Florida, according to the sheriff's office.
"Forsyth County will never ask you to send payment to another city or state," the agency said in its warning.
Authorities are advising residents who receive an unexpected letter, email, text message or phone call requesting money to stop before making a payment.
Instead, residents should independently contact the government agency or organization supposedly requesting the money. The sheriff's office recommends using a verified phone number or official website rather than contact information supplied in the unexpected correspondence.
The warning comes as officials encourage residents to share the information with relatives, friends and neighbors who could receive similar mail.
Anyone uncertain about a payment request should verify its legitimacy directly with the agency it claims to represent before providing money, credit card details or other personal information.