Dacono warns of scam emails seeking fake permit fees

Dacono is warning land-use permit applicants, real estate developers and homeowners about a phishing scheme in which scammers impersonate city officials to solicit fraudulent permit fees.

FBI Alert Number I-030926-PSA reports that scammers are systematically scraping publicly available planning registries and property records, the city said. The alert describes perpetrators using active application files, case numbers, physical property addresses and real names of local government staff to make fraudulent email demands personalized and convincing. The scheme is timed and tailored, with unsolicited emails accurately citing details of recipients’ ongoing zoning or permit applications.

The city’s alert says scammers have created fake email addresses to solicit fraudulent permit payments, including [email protected]. Scammers may direct victims to pay by wire transfer, peer-to-peer mobile apps such as Zelle or Venmo, or cryptocurrency. The city accepts payments only through its official online payment systems, by check or in person at city facilities. Legitimate emails from the City of Dacono always come from an address ending in @daconoco.gov.

Official-looking city or county seals, letterhead and professional regulatory language are common features of fraudulent emails, the city says. Non-governmental sender domains such as @usa.com and slightly altered look-alike addresses matching real officials are warning signs. Fraudulent invoices may include detailed itemized charges and direct applicants to communicate only by email to keep an audit trail. The emails may threaten immediate permit cancellations or severe project delays unless payment is made instantly.

The city advises people to use caution with urgent, threatening or unexpected emails. They should not reply, click links or provide personal or financial information. Anyone unsure whether a message is legitimate should contact the city directly.