- Alachua County warns that scammers posing as Growth Management Department representatives send fraudulent emails requesting wire transfer payments for public hearing projects.
- The county states it only accepts payments online, in person, or by mail and advises verifying official emails ending with @alachuacounty.us before responding.
Alachua County is warning applicants for projects requiring a public hearing about a phishing scam in which individuals are posing as representatives of the county’s Growth Management Department.
The scammers are contacting applicants by email, requesting payment via wire transfer of additional fees to move projects forward to a public hearing and include a fraudulent invoice, according to a release sent Wednesday. Alachua County emphasized that it does not charge any additional fees to proceed to a public hearing beyond the application fee paid at the time of submission.
Alachua County also does not request wire transfers, as all payments to Alachua County are only made online through the county’s secure permitting portal, in person at county offices or by mailing a check to county offices.
The phishing scam emails use the county’s logo and appear legitimate at face value, but use account names not associated with the county. In one example, the sender’s name and account are listed as “Hurricane City Planning Commission.”
Official emails from Alachua County will always end in “@alachuacounty.us” or will be sent from noreply-portal@citizenserve.com.
See an example of a scam invoice:
Applicants who are unsure whether an email related to their application is legitimate should contact Alachua County Growth Management directly at planning@alachuacounty.us.
Please remember the following tips to avoid scams:
- Scammers often create a sense of urgency to prompt quick action. Take time to verify email addresses and links by hovering over them to inspect the destination.
- Phishing emails may include unexpected attachments or arrive at unusual times. If you receive an unexpected email with attachments, verify it using a known contact method before opening anything.
- Do not click on links or open attachments from unverified senders. Scammers can use these to gain access to computer systems.
- When in doubt, verify suspicious messages using a trusted phone number or official email address.
Residents are encouraged to report suspected scams to county staff.
For more information, contact Alachua County Communications Director Mark Sexton at 352-264-6979 or msexton@alachuacounty.us.