The City of Encinitas is warning residents about fraudulent emails that impersonate city officials and demand payment for planning and zoning permits.

The city posted a fraud alert in its Thursday, Oct. 29, weekly update, telling residents it will "NEVER request payment via email, wire, cryptocurrency, or apps." The alert directs anyone who receives a suspicious message to verify it through the city's online system or call (760) 633-2710.

The warning follows a nationwide alert from the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, known as IC3. In a public service announcement published March 9, the FBI said criminals are impersonating city and county officials across the country to solicit fraudulent permit fees. Victims have been identified nationwide, according to the IC3.

How the scam works

The criminals mine publicly available permit records to find people and businesses with active land-use applications, according to the IC3. They then send emails that cite real permit information, zoning application numbers and property addresses.

These emails look convincing. According to the FBI, they use professional language, formatting and imagery consistent with legitimate government communications. They reference real names of city officials.

But the sender addresses come from non-governmental domains such as "@usa.com" rather than official city email accounts. The messages may arrive timed to coincide with real permit-related correspondence, making them harder to spot.

Attached PDF invoices list itemized fees and instruct applicants to respond only by email, not by phone. That tactic discourages victims from calling the actual city office to verify the charges, the IC3 said. The emails also pressure recipients with threats of delays or other obstacles in the permitting process if payment is not made immediately.

Victims are directed to pay via wire transfer, peer-to-peer payment apps or cryptocurrency.

How to protect yourself

The FBI recommends verifying any permit-related email before responding. Check that the sender's domain matches the official address of the city employee you have been working with. Do not assume an email is legitimate because it uses city letterhead, official seals or correct grammar. When in doubt, call the city directly using the phone number on the official website.

Anyone who has fallen victim can file a complaint at ic3.gov, the FBI's online reporting site. The IC3 asks complainants to include information such as the sender's email address, the date of the email, any phone number provided, the amount listed on the fraudulent invoice, the payment method requested and bank account information if available.

Encinitas residents with questions about permit fees can call the city at (760) 633-2710.