Scammers are sending fraudulent emails asking for money
Wake County is warning residents not to fall for fraudulent emails from bad actors pretending to be Wake County Planning and Development Services staff. These emails, which in some cases ask for thousands of dollars in payment for permit and plan review, may look official, but they are not.
“Our PDS team will never send an email asking you to make a permit-related payment through a link,” said Michael McLamb, Permits & Inspections Director. “We strongly encourage anyone with an active permit to closely scrutinize any email they receive, because even if it looks like it is from us, it may not be.”
Wake County learned today that a fraudster was sending these fraudulent emails, and staff reacted quickly to alert customers, contractors and the public to help them avoid falling victim to the scams.
Scam emails may include accurate permit information and an invoice with a link asking the recipient to make payment. Do not click payment links, open unexpected attachments or provide payment or personal information in response to these emails. Because scam emails can be convincing, customers should take extra care when receiving messages about permit fees.
Follow these steps to protect yourself from phishing emails:
- Wake County will not send an email asking you to make a permit payment through a payment link included in the message.
- Be cautious of unexpected invoices or payment requests, even if the permit information in the email is correct.
- Do not click links or open attachments in unexpected payment-related emails.
- Check the sender's email address carefully. A familiar name or Wake County logo does not mean the message is legitimate.
- If you are unsure whether payment is due, do not use the link in the email. Instead, contact Wake County Planning and Development Services at 919-856-6310.
- When in doubt, verify the information with Wake County before making payment.
Wake County will not ask customers to make permit payments through unsolicited payment links sent by email. For official Wake County information, visit the Wake County Planning and Development Services webpage.
