Palm Springs Police warn of permit payment scam

PALM SPRINGS, CA — The Palm Springs Police Department (PSPD) is alerting residents and businesses to a nationwide phishing scam involving criminals impersonating city and county planning and zoning officials to solicit fraudulent permit payments.

Scammers are targeting individuals and businesses with active land-use permit applications. Using publicly available information, they send convincing emails containing legitimate property addresses, permit numbers, and names of government officials. These emails request payment for fraudulent permit fees, often through wire transfers, peer-to-peer payment services, or cryptocurrency.

• Verify all payment requests directly with the City using official contact information.
• Be cautious of unsolicited emails requesting immediate payment.
• Carefully inspect email addresses for suspicious or non-governmental domains.
• Never send payments without independently confirming the legitimacy of the request.

If you receive a suspicious permit payment request or become a victim of this scam within the City of Palm Springs, report the incident to the Palm Springs Police Department. Victims are also encouraged to file a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

For additional information about this nationwide scam, read the FBI's official public service announcement