The latest in the seemingly never-ending string of scams to watch out for involves criminals trying to pass themselves off as city and county officials.
The Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office reports that recently an applicant for a land-use permit was targeted by a scam where the scammer tried to solicit funds via “phishing” type emails.
Authorities say the scammers pose as officials of a particular city or county, or in some cases, a planning and zoning entity. The emails to the unsuspecting recipient often appear highly convincing, referencing accurate permit details that may include property addresses and case numbers, and are written in such a way that it discourages victims from calling officials to verify the request.
Law enforcement officials say however, that calling officials to verify is exactly what you should do if you have any doubt about requests for payment of funds on a property transaction, particularly if the payment request mentions wire transfer, peer-to-peer payment such as Venmo, or cryptocurrency.
The most recent scam attempts appear to target transactions through the Sherburne County Planning and Zoning Department, but other similar incidents could pop up anywhere, and residents should take every precaution against falling for such scams.
