The Polk County Sheriff's Office and the Tax Collector for Polk County are warning people about an online tag renewal scam.
The Tax Collector's Office is advising motorists not to use etagsDirect. The company advertises on Internet searches for online tag renewal services. On the site, it offers fast and easy vehicle registration renewal.
Last year, officials say the Tax Collector's Office received numerous complaints about etagsDirect overcharging for tag renewals and failing to refund motorists who believed they had been deceived.
The Tax Collector's Office said people should only use official tax collector websites to avoid excessive fees and being scammed.
"When people use Google or other search engines to find our Tax Collector's Office for services, etagsdirect.com tricks people making them think they have gone to our website," said Joe G. Tedder, the Polk County tax collector.
Complaints about etagsDirect have also popped up in other counties across Florida, including Orange and Palm Beach.
At the bottom of its website, etagsdirect.com does have a disclaimer that states it is not affiliated with any government agency.