Palm Beach County’s Planning, Zoning and Building Department (PZB) is alerting residents, property owners, contractors and businesses about a phishing scam in which criminals impersonate city and county planning and zoning personnel to solicit fraudulent payments for permits and development applications.

The criminals then send emails posing as local government planning, zoning, or building staff, requesting payment for fraudulent “permit” or “processing” fees.

These phishing emails often appear legitimate and may include accurate property addresses, permit or case numbers, and the names of real government officials. Some messages also include official-looking logos and templates to deceive recipients further.

“Please be aware that payments can only be made through the secure payment portal on our website or in person at our offices located at the Vista Center in West Palm Beach,” said Whitney Carroll, Executive Director of PZB.

“PZB will never ask that payments be made via email using wire transfer, peer-to-peer payment apps, or cryptocurrency as referenced in the FBI alert,” she added.

If you have any questions or concerns about fees and payments, please contact the Planning, Zoning, and Building Dept. at 561-233-5001.

The FBI Alert Highlights include:

Warning Signs of the Scam

• Emails sent from non-government domains (for example, addresses that do not end in .gov)
• Urgent language threatening delays or penalties if payment is not made immediately
• Invoices directing recipients to reply by email for payment instructions
• Requests for payment through wire transfers, peer-to-peer payment apps, or cryptocurrency

Reporting Suspicious Activity

Anyone who believes they may have received a fraudulent message or may have been a victim of this scam should report the incident to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov.

The FBI public service announcement regarding this scam is identified as I-030926-PSA and can be viewed on the IC3 website.