Officials warn of 'planning/zoning' scam

A nationwide email scam is targeting individuals and businesses involved in planning, zoning, and land use applications, state and federal officials warn.

According to an alert issued by the state’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, scammers are impersonating local zoning or planning departments by sending fraudulent emails requesting payment for land use application renewals or related fees.

The emails often include invoices that appear legitimate and may contain publicly available information to make the requests seem authentic.

Legitimate correspondence will only come from official government email addresses, and should never rely on payment requests received through unfamiliar email domains, they advise.

Westchester County urged residents and businesses to remain vigilant.

 “Protecting our residents and businesses means keeping them informed about emerging threats. While these fraudulent emails may appear convincing, a few moments spent verifying a request can prevent financial loss and protect sensitive information. We encourage anyone who receives an unexpected payment request to do their due diligence before taking any action,” County Executive Ken Jenkins said.

Scammers are “becoming increasingly sophisticated” in their attempts to imitate government agencies, said county Planning Commissioner Blanca Lopez, advising folks who have received “unexpected” emails requesting payment for a planning or zoning matter to “take a moment to verify its authenticity before responding.”

The county encouraged anyone receiving a suspicious email not to click links, open attachments, or send payments until the request has been verified.

 A common indicator of this scam is an email originating from a “usa.com” domain rather than an official government email address, or payment requests via wire transfers, they said.

Municipalities normally require individuals go to their local building department in person to submit payment or pay through a secure payment portal through their own websites.

REPORT INCIDENTS

Anyone who believes they have been targeted or victimized should report the incident to local law enforcement and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

Questions about planning or zoning matters should be directed to the Westchester County Department of Planning by emailing wcdp@westchestercountyny.gov or by calling (914) 995-4400.