MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. – The County of Monterey Housing and Community
Development Department, County Counsel, County Administrative Office, and Monterey
County Sheriff’s Office are alerting the public to a fraudulent scheme in which fake
invoices, falsely appearing to be from the County, have been sent to individuals and
businesses involved in projects pending before the County’s Planning Commission. These
fraudulent invoices request payments exceeding $14,000 and have been reported by at
least three recipients, including a local school.
A recent case involved an invoice sent to All Saints Day School, fraudulently requesting
over $14,000 in permitting fees for a project scheduled to go before the County’s Planning
Commission. The invoice falsely appeared to have originated from the County and
included the name of a county official, but the County did not issue it. The school’s Chief
Financial Officer identified and flagged the suspicious invoice before payment was made.
However, the fraudulent email had already passed through two levels of internal review
before being caught, highlighting the sophisticated nature of the scam.
The fraudulent letter accompanying the invoice stated that the fee was necessary for
various stages of project approval, including application review, site inspections, and
infrastructure impact assessments. It also directed the recipient to confirm payment via
email, claiming that all inquiries must be handled digitally for auditing purposes. The
email used an inaccurate sender address but mimicked official County formatting and
language to appear legitimate.
“These fraudulent invoices are deeply concerning, as they exploit the trust between our
County and those doing business with us,” said County Administrative Officer
Sonia M. De La Rosa. “We encourage applicants and businesses to exercise care and
verify any invoice they receive before making a payment.”
The fraudulent emails originate from non-official email addresses and contain misleading
information designed to appear legitimate. The County urges residents, businesses, and
developers to take the following precautions:
• Verify the Source: Official County invoices will come from verified County of
Monterey email addresses and include proper documentation.
• Contact the County Directly: If you receive an unexpected invoice related to a
County project, contact the County’s Planning Commission/Permit Center at (831)
755-5025 to confirm its authenticity.
• Report Suspicious Activity: If you believe you have received a fraudulent invoice,
report it immediately to the County’s Permit Center at (831) 755-5025.
• Do Not Reply to Suspicious Emails: If you believe you have received a fraudulent
email from the County of Monterey that does not end it .gov, print it for your records,
but do not reply.
The County is actively investigating this fraudulent activity and working with law
enforcement to identify the perpetrators. Staff members at the Call Center and County’s
Permit Center have been briefed to assist any resident or business with concerns related
to this scam. It is important to note that the County of Monterey’s Housing and
Community Development Department does accept payment of fees in person at the
County’s Permit Center, located at 1441 Shilling Place in Salinas, or on-line through
www.accela.com. You can also visit the County’s official website for instructions for
on-line payments at https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/government/departments-
a-h/housing-community-development/permit-center/online-permit-information.
Anyone who receives a suspicious invoice or email is urged to contact County officials
immediately to prevent financial loss and further fraudulent activity.
For additional information or to report a fraudulent invoice, please call (831) 647-7770 or
email consumercomplaints@countyofmonterey.gov.
Comments
Post a Comment