The Boston Police Department is sharing an advisory from the Federal Bureau of Investigation warning residents and businesses about an active phishing scam targeting individuals with pending planning and zoning permit applications.
What Is Happening
Criminals are impersonating city and county government officials and sending fraudulent emails to people who have active land-use permit applications. These emails reference real permit details, including property addresses, case numbers, and the names of actual officials, to appear legitimate. Victims are then pressured to pay fabricated permit fees via wire transfer, peer-to-peer payment apps, or cryptocurrency.
This scam has been reported nationwide.
How to Spot a Fraudulent Email
Be cautious if you receive an unsolicited email regarding a permit application that includes any of the following:
- Requests payment via wire transfer, apps like Venmo or Zelle, or cryptocurrency
- Creates urgency by threatening delays to your permit if you do not pay immediately
- Directs you to respond by email only rather than by phone to “verify” fees
- Comes from an email address that does not end in an official government domain (for example, an address ending in “@usa.com” rather than a “.gov” address)
- Includes a PDF invoice with itemized fees and payment instructions
Keep in mind that professional formatting, official logos, and the correct names of real government officials do not guarantee an email is legitimate. Scammers deliberately replicate these details.
What You Should Do
- Do not pay any fees requested via email without first verifying them independently
- Look up the phone number for the relevant city or county office directly from the official government website and call to confirm whether any fees are actually owed
- Do not use contact information provided in the suspicious email itself
If You Have Been Victimized
If you or someone you know has been targeted by this scam, file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at http://www.ic3.gov. When filing, include the sender’s email address, the date the email was received, any phone numbers provided, the amount listed on any fraudulent invoice, the payment method requested, and any bank account information you may have been given.
Community members wishing to provide information anonymously to the Boston Police Department may do so via the CrimeStoppers Tip Line:
📞 By Phone: 1-800-494-TIPS
💬 By Text: Text the word “TIP” to CRIME (27463)
🌐 Online: Submit a tip via Boston Police CrimeStoppers
Photos and videos related to this investigation may also be submitted anonymously. The Boston Police Department will strictly safeguard the identities of those who wish to provide information confidentially.