The Greene County Auditor is cautioning residents to be leery about letters from companies stating the county assessment of their home values are too high and they could be paying too much for property taxes.

David Graham, the county auditor, said he received three to five phone calls a day over a serveral from residents wondering if the letters that offered to help residents appeal their county home value assessments were legitimate or a scam.

Anita Jones, an 87-year-old Beavercreek resident, is one of about 20 people who contacted the auditor’s office after receiving a letter stating there might have been an error in the county’s assessment of her home value. The letter she received from ValueAppeal, a Seattle based company, stated she might be able to save money by challenging the assessment. The letter sounded too good to be true, she said.

“I thought, ‘I’m going to call the auditor and see if it was a scam because it said I could save $1,100,’” Jones said. “I just felt that something wasn’t right and I didn’t trust it.”

The Dayton Daily News obtained copies of two letters from companies offering these services. The letter from ValueAppeal, offered to supply supporting documents to challenge the homeowner’s property value assessment for $99 to $159.

A letter from and Tax Compliance Service, LLC, in Strongsville, offered similar services for $125. For an additional $125, customers can upgrade and have an attorney handle the filing and attend any hearings.

Graham and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office confirmed the services were not illegal, but both offices emphasized residents could file an appeal challenging the assessment without the assistance of a third party.

“Do some checking,” said Lisa Hackley, communications director, for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. “If you think your valuation is incorrect, please check with the county auditor’s office.”

There are a number of resources homeowners can use to research property values in their area including the county auditor’s website, the real estate section of a newspaper and the Dayton Area Board of Realtors website, Graham said.

The county’s method for appraising homes is not infallible and occasionally someone’s home is erroneously assessed at a higher value, Graham said.

“It’s not a personal issue,” Graham said. “We’re not overcharging you to make additional tax revenues. We are reappraising 73,000 parcels using a mass appraisal approach. Even though it’s imperfect, it’s the best approach we have.”