The
Humboldt County Planning & Building Department again recently
received reports of an email scam targeting the community.
The real John Ford does not want your Target gift cards.
In
this scam fraudulent emails claim to be from Humboldt County Planning
& Building Director John Ford and/or the Humboldt County Planning
Commission. The scammer tells the victim that they have reviewed
their permit application and an “application review and approval
fee” is required before “official approval” can be finalized.
The
email appears to mine information from publicly accessible documents
such as Board of Supervisors and/or Planning Commission meeting
agendas and related permit application documents. The information
includes specific details about the applicant’s project and
includes a fake invoice and instructions on how to wire funds to pay
the fee and settle the account.
The
County of Humboldt wants the public to know that the Planning &
Building Department does not charge or require an “application
review and approval fee” and would like the community to know that
this is a scam.
While
the Planning & Building Department may contact you regarding an
application or legitimate past due fees, the County of Humboldt will
never ask you to:
Mail
large sums of cash
Wire
funds to a private account
Use
a credit card over the phone, or
Pay
with gift cards or pre-paid money card
If
you have any questions about the status of your pending permit
application or past due fees, please call 707-445-7541.
The
Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone who believes
they may have been targeted or have been a victim of this type of
fraudulent activity to report the incident immediately by calling
707-445-7251.
Please
remember these tips to help protect yourself from fraud:
Spot
imposters.
Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust, like a government
official, a family member, a charity or a company with which you do
business. Do not send money or give out personal information in
response to an unexpected request, whether it comes as a text, a
phone call or an email. Do not open attachments in emails from
unknown sources.
Do
online research. Type
a company or product name into your favorite search engine with
words like “review,” “complaint” or “scam.” Or search
for a phrase that describes your situation, like “application fee”
or “IRS call.” You can even search for phone numbers and email
addresses to see if other people have reported them as scams.
Don’t
believe the name in an email or your caller ID. Technology
makes it easy for scammers to fake email account names and caller ID
information, so the name and number you see are not always real. If
someone calls asking for money or personal information, hang up. If
someone emails you asking for you to take action, do not click links
in the email or open attachments. If you think the person contacting
you might be telling the truth, call back to a number you know is
genuine.
Talk
to someone. Before
you give up your money or personal information, talk to someone you
trust. Con artists want you to make decisions in a hurry. They might
even threaten you. Slow down, check out the story, do an online
search, consult an expert or just tell a friend. If you have applied
for a county permit, contact the Planning & Building Department
and ask questions.
Do
not rely on personal information. Living
in the digital age, access to information is easier than ever.
Scammers are often able to get their hands on very personal
information, providing it to their victims to make their scam look
more legitimate. Do not trust a scammer who is able to provide your
personal information. If you followed the above tips and still are
not sure, call back at a publicly listed number for the organization
from which the scammer claims to be or contact your loved one
directly.
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