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County of Monterey Warns of Fraudulent Invoices Targeting Planning Commission Applicants

 

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. 

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