Fake permit fee invoice email from the city or county

What the message looks like

How this scam works

Permit applications are often public, and the FBI says scammers use that information to pick targets. Cleveland found applicants' email addresses and phone numbers had been visible on a vendor-run permit portal, letting fraudsters look up real projects, like a new garage or a roof, and contact the people behind them.

The emails copy the language of real government notices. The FBI says the sender address may look like a planning department username but comes from a non-government domain such as '@usa.com', which is also what Cleveland reported. Some emails are timed to land while you are already corresponding with the real office.

The PDF invoice lists itemized fees and tells you to ask for payment instructions by email rather than by phone, supposedly for an audit trail. The FBI says that wording is designed to keep you from calling the office to check. Payment is requested by wire transfer, a payment app or cryptocurrency, and a wire is very hard to get back once it is sent.

Red flags

• An invoice that asks you to pay by wire transfer, a payment app or cryptocurrency. The FBI lists these as the payment methods in this scheme.
• A sender address on a commercial domain such as '@usa.com' instead of your city's or county's own government address.
• Instructions to request payment details by email only, or to avoid calling the office.
• Threats that your hearing, permit or inspection will be delayed or cancelled unless you pay right away.
• Accurate project details are not proof. Scammers can pull case numbers, addresses and officials' names from public records.

How to tell it’s fake

1. Log in to your city's or county's permit portal yourself and see whether any fee is actually outstanding. Cleveland recommends exactly this.
2. Call the planning or permitting office using the number on its official website, not the number or email in the message, and ask about the invoice.
3. Compare the sender's full address with emails you have received from the real office. Look for a different domain, extra words or small misspellings.
4. Check the city or county website for impersonation notices; many, including Baltimore, have posted them. If it still looks right, get a second opinion from a colleague or a scam expert before money moves.

What to do if you clicked, paid or shared info

Don’t panic, and don’t blame yourself. These scams are built by professionals. Act quickly, one step at a time.

If you clicked a link or called back

• If you only opened the email or the PDF, don't reply and don't send any information. Forward it to the real planning office so it can warn other applicants, and report it at ic3.gov.

If you paid

• If you sent a wire or payment, call your bank immediately and ask it to recall the transfer. Speed matters with wires. File a complaint at ic3.gov with the email address, the date, the invoice amount, the payment method and any bank account details the scammer gave you, as the FBI requests, and tell the real planning office.

If you shared personal info, a password or a code

• If you sent IDs, bank details or business documents, tell your bank, watch your accounts and consider a credit freeze. Warn coworkers and your bookkeeper so they don't pay a follow-up invoice.

How Gmork Scam Guard would warn you

Scam Guard runs in Chrome and Edge on your computer and reads payment emails you have open in Gmail or Outlook on the web. It can flag a 'city' sender on a non-government domain, wire or payment-app requests, and deadline pressure, and reminds you to call the office at a number you look up yourself.

Scam Guard can miss things, so the checks above still matter. See what it warns about and what it keeps private.

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Questions people ask

How do scammers know about my permit?

Permit and zoning applications are often public records. The FBI says criminals use that public information, including case numbers, addresses and officials' names, to make the emails convincing. Knowing your details doesn't make the sender real.

Would a planning department really email me an invoice?

Some offices do email notices, so an email alone isn't proof of a scam. The warning signs are payment by wire, payment app or crypto, a non-government sender, and instructions not to call. Baltimore's planning department says it never asks the public to wire funds. Check fees through your official permit portal or by phone.

Where do I report a fake permit invoice?

File a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov and tell your local planning office. Include the sender's email address, the date, the amount and the payment method requested.

Sources

• FBI IC3 PSA: Criminals impersonating city and county officials in phishing emails for planning and zoning permits
• City of Cleveland (Nov 4, 2026): Imposter scam targets users of various city services
• Baltimore City Planning: Fraud alert, scammers posing as planning officials