I recieved a similar postcard.  I was skeptical because it said I would get $230 from the homestead tax.  I set up an appointment to meet this woman on 2300 George Dieter, El Paso, TX last year.  They kept sending me the postcards for a few months.  So I met her and she was very nice and professional.  She showed me the documents that she had the data on me.  I asked her how she got information about me like my home address, property tax etc?  Of course I was not stupid because my record is public only in the city hall.  I asked her if i could have acopy of this domcument.  She said no.  I told my  husband to talk to her so I could google on RGT.  I suddenly thanked her and I asked her not to send me any more cards because I can do the homestead tax on my own.  I signaled at my husband to leave.  We immediately left the office.  I looked around the building, how fancy and  luxury it was.  No wonder where the RGT got money!!  The woman looked elegant as well.  She had nice jewelries.  I was not stupid.  My husband went to the city hall to  pick up the homestead tax form.  Simple---I only  needed to fill the form, a photocopy of my Driver's license and took it to the bank to notarize the form at no cost.  Then he dropped it off at the city hall to prcess it and we recieved a handsome refund in 3 months---$1280 for the HOmestead tax of 2010 and 2011!  The woman would have kept $1,000 if I was dumb!!!  Sorry, they are not getting one cent!  Always esearch on something you may find to beneifit yourself!  I am very satisfied.  I thank the RGT for being stupid to choose a smartass person!  Simple---just go to the city county hall and ask for the form.  It is not hard to do it!

I got a postcard, too.  Not sure about it.

I got a postcard. Any info on these people?

Got a card recently also, and after calling and searching various sights via Google, have just now found this one. The story seems to be the same ... "Can't tell anything until you show up for an interview... be sure to bring your drivers license, etc., etc."  I couldn't find anything about a "R.G.T., Inc." at the address given, and the person on the phone would not answer any of my questions about the nature of the "available refund' nor would she explain anything about the nature of her company. After checking on the names of the business that is listed as the resident of the address given on the postcard, I found the names of a financial "advisor" business called World Financial Advisors, supposedly run by one John Levine, a "registered rep of H.Beck, Inc., ..." Checking further, a page on the website of  World Financial Advisors states that "...H. Beck is unaffiliated with World Financial Advisors.." The whole thing sounded very confusing and conflicting to me, and I could find no reference to RGT, homestead exemption services, or the like. It really seems quite strange to run something like that if indeed, it is supposed to provide a service... The "By" blank on the postcard had the name HELEN REYES hand printed on it. When I called the person answering was a bit vague when I asked for Helen Reyes. She said she would set up an appointment, and that I should come to 2425 West Loop South Ste 200 in Houston and ask for a "M.... Duran." I could not get the first name, but she did spell the last name for me. I really don't know who I was talking to on the phone, as she seemed to me to be vague about the nature of supposed refund. She only said that they were there to "help people get their money back and that should make people happy..."

Got the card too and was suspicious of a scam and turned to the  internet for answers.....I did file a homested exemption so not sure what $$$ they are speaking of but I am not even gonna bother even though the $$$ sounds nice!!!

I got a postcard and I called the local number, with a private number. And I asked them what refund are they talking about? And they said, when I set the appointment they are going to tell me.  So I decided not set an appoitment.  Then I decided to google this company,and found out I wad not the only suspicious of this people. Thank you!

The Research Gruoup of Texas help people filled out a homestead property exemption forms which reduced property taxes on homeowners. I went throug the process with R.G.T and they kept 83% of my refund, they are very good as misleading home owners to signs the paper allowing R.G.T to keep most of the refund. I asked R.G.T how much their charged and was told ($84.00)  that come out of county tax refund, and was rush thruogh the procecss, not allowing me time to read the contract, my refund was ($566.59) R.G.T kept ($468.89). The trick R.G.T uses was my computer is too slow today can not print out paper, take too long..., R.G.T is very good as what they do to mislead people, so read and ask for a copy of what you sign with them. The best thing would be when you recieved a postcard from them  is to call your county and asked for a homestead tax exemption form,you can fill its out by yourself cost nothing to do and you get to keep all of your properties tax refund.

I have received a number of these postcard notices but no telephone calls (probably because I have an unlisted number).  I have always been pretty wary of these types of notices and today decided to google it.  Glad I did.  I will continue to ignore these postcards.  Thanks to everyone who wrote in, as it is helpful to know of these scams.

Received the card in the mail, delayed calling until now. Called set appointment and then Googled the name Research Group of Texas. Found these messages. It is legitimate to charge a fee for services, I just do not have to use them. Thank you folks for the heads up.

Sorry didn't read your full post before posting. Joe in El Paso, a homestead exemption lowers the taxable value on certain property taxes by a percentage. For example here in Travis County it lowers the Travis County, Pflugerville ISD and Travis County Healthcare taxes. Your assessed value remains the same but the taxable amount is lowered. It's available to anyone for their primary residence. If you go to the website of your county appraisal district (normally www.yourcountycad.gov, i.e. www.traviscad.gov) they should have a form and instructions on their website.

I got mine today and I have to say, if it's for the Homestead Exemption refund it's a complete ripoff at least in Travis County Texas. The appraisal district is going to send my refund back to my escrow account automatically. If I didn't have an escrow account they would have sent me a check. I don't need to pay 50% of that refund to get it!

Just received the same postcard.  Glad I researched this first.  Thanks for the posts.  Could someone out there further explain what exactly a homestead exemption entails?  As a new homeowner, I'd like to know.

Yes, they are at it again. I was informed that I could get money for filing homestead exemptions. I am a government worker and know for a fact that you do no have to pay anyone to collect money that is owed to you by the county, state, IRS....... I told them thank you but I can collect all by my self at no cost. BE aware. This is a legal rip off....

J. Ramsey

Please read article on this link: www.click2houston.com/investigates/17786844/detail.html
To me it's still a rip off

I just hung up the phone with them and apparently I received it by mistake. Almost $300.00. ????????

I also got this postcard - smelled like a scam, so I googled it, and found this link.  Time to file that homestead exemption!

Better Business Bureaus in Dallas has the information below on RGT
Nature Of Business

This company offers to locate unclaimed money for a fee. The money typically comes as a result of correcting a homeowner's failure to file a homestead exemption on their house. Filing a homestead exemption can reduce property taxes. After the homestead exemption is filed, the tax district issues a refund to the mortgage company or the homewner of a partial amount of the property taxes paid last year. The company's fee is 50% of the last year's property tax refund.
If there is a mortgage on the property, the refund is paid to the mortgage company. That company sends the refund to the homeowner who is to send 50% of that to Research Group of Texas as a fee. If the homeowner's escrow account at the mortgage company is short of funds, however, the mortgage company will keep enough of the refund to fill the escrow account and then send any balance to the homeowner. Regardless of the amount the homeowner receives from the mortgage company, the homewner must pay 50% of the total refunded amount to Research Group of Texas as their fee.
Savings on property taxes in future years are not subject to any fees.
Please read the company's contract before you sign it. The contract will determine the rights and obligations of the company and the homeowner.

I called and inquired why and how I am qualified for refund/rebate. I was told the information could not be disclosed to me until I meet with their executives, That is kind of strange to me. I told the lady the was no need meeting with anybody if source of the refund/rebate will not be divulged to me. I know the only source for that refung is via homestaed because I did not file to get the reduce home appraisal. My advice is contact the appropriate authority and ask for how to get your money or hire a lawyer you know for the job.

Yes, they are legit, but I would still classify this as a SCAM!!  We can all file a homestead exemption on our own without a fee.

I got the postcard too.  I did a google search for R.G.T., Inc. and came up with some info:
http://www.talkaboutbusinesses.com/group/misc.consumers/messages/383266.html

It's kinda legit from what I read.

I got the same card.  Haven't called yet.  Any info on these people?

Didn't get a call but a post card asking me to call that number to collect my "unclaimed refund and/or rebate".  Sounded fishy so I was hoping to find info about them.