Sandoval County officials warn of email scam targeting permit applicants

Corrales village officials have alerted residents to a sophisticated email scam targeting people who recently submitted planning and zoning applications, part of a wave of similar schemes reported in other jurisdictions. The fraudulent messages impersonate planning offices and officials, use official-looking letterhead or titles, and in some cases include specific property or application details to appear legitimate.

The pattern has appeared in multiple counties. In Anderson County, South Carolina, the sheriff’s office has received reports of emails claiming to be from the county planning and zoning commission that notify applicants their community-funding requests have been approved but demand payment before funds are released. Officials stressed that this is not how county business is conducted: "This is not how Anderson County Planning and Zoning or the County Council conducts business." Residents who believe they received a fraudulent message were asked to report it to the sheriff’s office by calling 864-260-4400 and referencing case number 2026-01489. County staff advised people to verify sender addresses and to confirm suspicious correspondence by calling Anderson County at (864) 260-4000. Anderson County also cautioned that legitimate payments are processed only by Certified Mail or the county’s official payment portal.

In the Mid-Columbia region, Franklin County officials reported emails that requested wire transfers to finalize permit applications and that even used the name of the county planning and building director, Wes McCart. The county warned residents directly: “Please be aware: Franklin County does not request or accept wire transfers for permit payments,” and urged anyone who receives such a message not to respond and to contact the county at 509-545-3521. Franklin County flagged additional red flags in the bogus messages, including typos, inaccurate fee amounts, and non-county sender addresses.

The scams exploit routine local-government interactions - permit applications, conditional use approvals, and community-funding requests - where applicants expect follow-up and payments. That familiarity makes spoofed messages more convincing and raises the risk that even careful residents could be deceived. In one Anderson County instance the fraud was uncovered when a recipient recognized suspicious elements and alerted authorities, preventing potential loss.

For Sandoval County residents, the immediate implications are practical. Corrales officials have issued a warning but the village advisory did not include contact details in the notice provided; anyone in doubt about a planning, zoning, or permit notice should confirm legitimacy directly with the village planning office or Sandoval County planning staff before sending money. Across jurisdictions, officials recommend verifying sender addresses, watching for spelling errors or incorrect fees, refusing requests for wire transfers, and using official county payment channels.

This campaign underlines the importance of pausing on any unexpected payment requests tied to permits or funding. Keep correspondence, note the sender address, and confirm with county offices by phone before acting; report suspect emails to local law enforcement so investigators can track and stop the fraud.