São José City Hall warns of fraudulent tax and license scams

The City Hall of São José has issued an alert regarding fraudulent messages and fake payment slips (boletos) circulating under the municipality's name. Scammers are simulating tax and fee collections, and more recently, sending messages regarding alleged irregularities in business operating licenses (Alvará de Funcionamento).

According to the Revenue Secretariat, these fraudulent communications claim that an establishment has been the subject of an anonymous complaint regarding urban licensing and works. To appear legitimate, the messages use the official city logo, provide a phone number, and cite the name of a supposed official, often pressuring businesses to regularize their status by a specific deadline.

Authorities advise citizens to be suspicious of any communication that pressures for immediate payment or updates through unofficial channels. A key precaution is to verify the sender's email address; official communications from the São José administration use the institutional domain @pmsj.sc.gov.br. Jamir Machado Pimenta Junior, the Secretary of Revenue, urged taxpayers not to provide information or make payments based on suspicious messages and to confirm any pending issues directly through official municipal channels.