Monroe County Warns Residents About Fake Permit Invoices Requesting Wire Transfers

A wave of bogus invoices that mimic Monroe County permit bills circulated on Jan 27, 2026, prompting county officials to alert residents and business owners to a targeted wire-transfer scam. The fake documents appear to come from the Monroe County Building Department, Monroe County Planning Department, or Monroe County Planning Commission and seek payment by wire transfer for building permit fees.

Monroe County emphasized that the county will not request wire transfers to pay permit fees and will not send emails instructing wire-transfer payments. "Monroe County and the Monroe County Planning Commission will NEVER ask anyone to make wire transfers to pay building permit fees," the county said, and added that it will not ask applicants to communicate only by email as a condition for documentation or agenda inclusion. The message is aimed at contractors, property owners, and small businesses that regularly interact with county permitting processes and could be misled by official-looking invoices.

County officials warned that the scam messages sometimes include attachments and contact numbers that seem legitimate but are fraudulent. "Do not open attachments or respond to emails or numbers listed in the suspicious requests," the county advised. To help residents spot fake messages, the county clarified that its official email addresses end with two domains only: "Monroe County only sends emails from xxx@monroecounty-fl.gov and xxx@monroecounty-fl.org email addresses."

The immediate risk is financial loss for anyone who follows the instructions on the phony invoices. There is also a procedural risk: applicants who fail to verify legitimate communications could miss critical deadlines or delay reviews by the Monroe County Planning Commission. County staff urged vigilance because scammers sometimes pose as government staff to exploit trust and urgency in permitting matters.

If you receive a suspicious invoice or email, verify the message by calling the numbers listed on the Monroe County website rather than using phone numbers or links provided in the suspicious communications. "If you are ever in doubt, please call us at the numbers listed on our website to verify any information," county officials said.

Monroe County will continue monitoring the situation and updating guidance as needed. For now, residents, contractors, and businesses should treat unexpected permit invoices with skepticism, confirm any payment requests through the county's official channels, and refuse to complete wire transfers until the invoice is authenticated. The warning underscores the need for heightened caution in routine local transactions that can have outsized consequences for household and business finances.