NMC: Ignore fake property and water tax messages

Nashik: The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has cautioned residents against fake messages related to property tax and water tax circulating in the city. The body urged residents not to respond to such communications.Civic officials said, "The messages falsely claime that residents' property tax and water tax index numbers have been closed or outdated, and thus it asks them to contact specific mobile numbers for an update."The NMC administration issued a statement on Sunday clarifying that no such messages have been sent by the civic body and appealed to citizens to ignore them.The NMC administration has also warned the residents against sharing any of their personal or financial details with unknown callers or message senders.NMC's deputy commissioner (taxation) Ajit Nikat said, "The fake messages were being circulated from two mobile numbers, which have now been blocked by the cyber police department. A case has also been registered at the cyber police station against the suspects in connection with the fake message racket in the city. The matter is being further investigated."The civic administration has appealed to Nashik residents to remain alert and not to fall prey to rumours or fake messages related to property tax and water tax. Citizens have been advised to rely only on official communication issued by the NMC and report any suspicious messages to the police or civic authorities.Earlier last week, a sanitation worker of the civic body was booked for allegedly misappropriating nearly Rs 18 lakh by cheating property taxpayers in the Panchavati area of Nashik city.