- Authorities say scammers are impersonating local governments with fake invoices.
- The fake invoices ask people and businesses applying for permits and licenses to wire money.
- Columbia Township Chief of Police Jay Niles says he knows of three such attempts in his jurisdiction alone, and that it's a nation-wide problem.
- Double-check the origin of any such invoices before responding.
There's a new scam in town.
Columbia Township Chief of Police Jay Niles says "unknown persons are using township logos and descriptions and our address and fabricating false invoices."
If you're applying for a license or a permit from local government, and receive an invoice that looks like this, authorities say you should be wary.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
Niles says the invoice arrives by email and can look very convincing.
"It has our letterhead on it....We're 'looking' for $3800 total amount due for review and processing fees, zoning compliance assessments, legal administrative fees..."
Niles says scams like this one use publicly available information to trick applicants into wiring money to illegitimate accounts. It's a nationwide problem, he says, and the third such attempt known to him in Columbia Township.
Niles says Columbia Township never asks for wire transfers.
"For us here at Columbia Township, we don't do that."
Recipients of any such invoices should verify that the email they're coming from is authentic.
"They can call us. If the office is closed, they can call the police department. If they call the police department, we will figure it out. We can call the people here in the office and go 'What's going on with this?'"
In other words, double-check before doing anything else.
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