Boulder County is warning the public, and particularly people with active planning or permitting business, that scammers are sending emails made to look like they come from the county's Community Planning and Permitting department. The county says the scheme is ongoing and is aimed at planning applicants, builders and contractors, according to a notice posted by Boulder County.
The emails ask the recipient to reply for wire transfer instructions. The county says its planning department never sends payment invoices that ask for a wire transfer, which means a message doing that should be treated as fraudulent.
Why the emails look real
According to the county, the messages can include a correct property address, a real docket number and the names of actual county officials. One fake sender name the county cites is "Planning Commission Boulder County CO." The messages also tend to insist on contact by email only, which the county says is meant to keep people from picking up the phone to check, and they warn that the permit will be delayed unless payment is made right away.
How to tell the difference
Look at the sender's domain. The county says the scam emails come from non-governmental addresses such as @usa.com. Real emails from Boulder County employees come from bouldercounty.gov or bouldercounty.org addresses.
If you get a message about your permit or application and aren't sure it's legitimate, the county asks that you verify it by calling 303-441-3700 or emailing [email protected] before responding or sending money.
The county's notice also points to FBI Alert I-030926-PSA, which it says covers phishing schemes built around planning permits.