North Carolina shakes down tax debtors via cybershame

When calls and letters fail to get deadbeat taxpayers to ante up, try cybershame. North Carolina this week joined a group of states that posts on the Web the names, addresses and amounts owed of delinquent taxpayers.The state’s Revenue Department posted the names of 69 people and businesses that owe delinquent taxes to the state. The debtors posted on the site, at , each have a bill that’s more than 90 days overdue. They also failed to respond to letters and calls from state tax collectors. The amounts owed ranged from a high of $376,736.67 to a low of $3,354.25. Department officials sent a notice by certified mail to each person on the list that their name would be posted on the Web site. Each debtor was given the opportunity to settle the debt prior to listing, officials said. Delinquent taxpayers owe the state $379 million, department officials said. State officials filed a lien in court against the listed taxpayers, so the debts are a matter of public record. The District of Columbia, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, New York City and South Carolina all have similar sites for delinquent taxpayers.