Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios announced that there have been numerous reports of people soliciting taxpayers and offering to file exemption applications on their behalf. The solicitors, claiming to be Cook County Assessor’s Office employees, research public records and contact taxpayers who may have failed to file for property tax exemptions in prior years.
Residential exemption Certificates of Error are issued to taxpayers when an exemption does not appear on a second-installment bill or when a taxpayer fails to apply for an exemption prior to receiving a bill. Application is made with the Cook County Assessor and once the exemption application is certified, the Cook County Treasurer issues the taxpayer a refund check.

Taxpayers with information regarding solicitors that have contacted those regarding missing exemptions may contact the Assessor’s Office at 312-603-7800. Detailed exemption information may be obtained by visiting the assessor’s Web site at www.cookcountyassessor.com or by contacting the Assessor’s Taxpayer Services Department at 312-603-7550.