Palm Springs police warn of permit-fee phishing scam targeting property owners
Scammers are impersonating city and county planning and zoning officials, using real addresses and permit numbers to solicit fake fees by wire transfer, payment apps or cryptocurrency.
PALM SPRINGS: The Palm Springs Police Department warned residents and businesses Tuesday about a nationwide phishing scam in which criminals impersonate city and county planning and zoning officials to solicit fraudulent permit application fees.
The scam targets people with active land-use permit applications, NBC Palm Springs reported. The scammers use real property addresses, permit numbers and the names of government officials to make their emails look legitimate, then request payment for fake permit fees through wire transfers, peer-to-peer payment services or cryptocurrency.
Criminals are impersonating city and county planning or zoning officials and sending highly convincing emails that include real property addresses, permit numbers, and even names of government staff. Their goal: to trick you into paying fraudulent permit fees through wire transfers, peer-to-peer payment apps, or even cryptocurrency.Palm Springs Police Department, in a news release, via MyNewsLA
How the scam works
The emails can be difficult to spot because they are built on accurate information. The FBI warned earlier this year that victims of the phishing campaign have been identified nationwide, MyNewsLA reported. The federal agency described emails containing detailed, accurate information about planning and zoning requests, property addresses, case numbers and the true names of city and county officials.
Criminals are impersonating city and county planning or zoning officials and sending highly convincing emails that include real property addresses, permit numbers, and even names of government staff.
The emails may use professional language, formatting and imagery consistent with legitimate government communications, and arrive with attached PDF invoices containing itemized statements of purported fees, MyNewsLA reported. The invoices direct applicants to request payment instructions by email rather than by phone, which can keep victims from calling the city or county office to check whether the fees are real.
What police advise
Police are urging anyone who receives a payment request related to a permit to independently verify it with the city using official contact information, NBC Palm Springs reported. Residents and businesses should be cautious of unsolicited emails demanding immediate payment and carefully check the sender's email address for suspicious or non-government domains. Police say people should never send money without first confirming that the request is legitimate.
Anyone who receives a suspicious request or believes they have been victimized by the scam in Palm Springs is encouraged to contact the Palm Springs Police Department's non-emergency line, MyNewsLA reported. Victims were also encouraged to file a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
None to date. The Tribune corrects errors promptly and transparently. Read our corrections policy.
