Police activity Credit: Geralt / Pixabay.com
The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office is warning property owners about a scam targeting people working with the Bucks County Planning Commission.
According to the district attorney’s office, scammers are sending fraudulent emails that request payment for application approval fees.
The emails, which were discovered in April and again earlier this month, appear to be from the Bucks County Planning Commission’s chairperson, officials said.
County officials said that neither the commission chairperson nor any commission members send official correspondence regarding application approvals or fees.
Law enforcement officials said similar scams have been reported nationwide, and they often fall under the category of wire transfer fraud, where large sums of money can be lost permanently.
The district attorney’s office is urging residents to be vigilant. They advise those who receive a suspicious email not to click on any links, download any attachments, or follow any instructions.
The county government will not request payments for application fees via email.
Officials stressed the importance of using a known, legitimate phone number and not one in the suspicious email.
When in doubt, officials said, property owners should contact the Bucks County Planning Commission directly at 215-345-3400 to verify the request.
