The FBI is warning about a nationwide scam in which criminals impersonate city or county planning and zoning officials to request fraudulent permit payments. Scammers use publicly available permit information such as property addresses, case numbers, and official names to make emails appear legitimate and pressure applicants to pay fees via wire transfer, peer-to-peer apps, or cryptocurrency.

If you receive an unexpected invoice or payment request related to a permit, verify it directly with your local government, like using contact information from this official website.