Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:
The Humboldt County Planning & Building Department has received new reports of another email scam targeting the community.
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 emails also include instructions on how to wire funds to pay the fee and settle the account.
The county’s Information Technology Security team has confirmed Humboldt County’s system has not been hacked. The scammers appear to be using information gathered from publicly available documents, such as Planning Commission meeting agendas and staff reports. The County of Humboldt wants the public to know that the Humboldt County Planning Commission does not issue invoices, so anything from the Planning Commission asking for payment 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 you do business with. 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 review and approval fee” or “Planning Commission application fee 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. Contact information for the Planning & Building Department can be found online at HumboldtGov.org/Planning-Building.
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 at 707-445-7541 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 a loved one directly for assistance.
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