Mableton warns tax-bill payment texts are a scam as first public safety tax bills come due Dec. 1

The City of Mableton is warning property owners not to pay tax bills through links sent by text message. In an alert on its website, the city says it "will never request tax payments by text message" and tells residents: "Do not click suspicious payment links."

The warning comes as the city sends out its first bills for the Public Safety Special Service District, a tax that pays for public safety services. The city's page for the district says "This is the City's first billing cycle for the Public Safety SSD." Payment is due by Dec. 1, 2026.

How to tell if a bill is real

The bill comes by mail. The city's FAQ says the yearly bill "will be mailed on or about October 1 each year." To check a bill, contact the city's Revenue Division at 404-490-1323 or revenue@mableton.gov. The FAQ lists the division's hours as 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

You can also check the amount yourself. The 2026 rate is 4.5 mills. The FAQ explains that one mill is $1 for every $1,000 of taxable assessed value. Multiply your assessed value by 0.0045. A property assessed at $100,000 would owe about $450 for the year.

The Federal Trade Commission gives similar advice. If you get a text you weren't expecting that asks for personal or financial information, "don't click on any links." If you think the message might be real, contact the organization using a phone number or website you know is real, "Not the information in the text message."

How to pay

The city's FAQ lists three ways to pay:

• Online at www.mableton.gov. Type the address in yourself rather than tapping a link in a text.
• By mail to City of Mableton, P.O. Box 104, Mableton, GA 30126. Make checks payable to the City of Mableton.
• In person at 6116 Mableton Parkway, according to the FAQ. That information dates from August, so call the Revenue Division to confirm the location before you go.

The city allows partial payments as long as the full amount is paid by Dec. 1. If your mortgage company pays your property taxes through escrow, the city says to contact the company directly. Because the tax is new, the city says the bill "may not yet be reflected in some escrow systems."

The FAQ says late payments are subject to penalty and interest, and that the city has not finalized payment plans. If you are worried about paying on time, the city asks you to contact the Revenue Division before Dec. 1.

How to report a scam text

The FTC lists three ways to report one:

• Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM).
• Use the report-junk option in your messaging app.
• File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

What we don't know

The city's alert does not say whether residents have reported getting fake tax-bill texts, how many have, or whether anyone lost money.