A scam involving fake invoices has resurfaced in Monterey County, targeting individuals and businesses involved in projects pending before the county’s Planning Commission, county officials said.
As part of the scam, people with pending projects are receiving fake invoices that appear to be coming from the Planning Commission. However, county officials said Tuesday that the Planning Commission never requests financial payments. Such requests, even if they appear authentic, are fraudulent.
In March, the county reported fraudulent invoices requesting payments exceeding $14,000 by at least three recipients, and in July, another applicant received a fake invoice for $5,000, according to the county administrative office.
Applicants working on projects with the county also received fake documents that included a Monterey County seal and address, requesting wire transfers.
Applicants and businesses who receive suspicious or potentially illegitimate documents are urged to contact the appropriate county agency. It’s important to verify the source’s email address and documentation, if possible.
To report suspicious invoices, especially those unrelated to county projects, the county’s permit center can be reached at (831) 755-5025. The public is urged not to respond to emails claiming to be from Monterey County that do not end in “.gov”.
More information about online payments for permitting is available on the county website.