Transportation and Land Management Agency - Department of Building & Safety

Impersonation Scam Targeting Permit Applicants

The Riverside County Transportation and Land Management Agency - Department of Building & Safety is warning residents and businesses about a phishing scheme in which criminals impersonate city or county officials to request fraudulent payments for planning, zoning, or land‑use permits. Similar scams have been reported nationwide.

How the Scam Works

Scammers contact individuals who have active permit applications and send emails that appear official. These messages may include real property addresses, case numbers, or the names of legitimate officials. They request payment for supposed permit‑related fees and often instruct victims to pay via wire transfer, peer‑to‑peer platforms, or cryptocurrency.

Common signs of fraudulent emails include:

• Accurate permit or property details copied from public records
• Professional‑looking logos, formatting, and language
• Email addresses that resemble government accounts but come from non‑government domains (for example, “@riversidecountry.com”)
• Urgent warnings that delays will occur unless payment is made immediately
• Invoices directing applicants to request payment instructions by email rather than calling an official office

How to Protect Yourself

• Verify and read carefully the sender email address, not just the display name.
• Verify that the sender email should be [email protected] or [email protected] 
• If you are not sure, contact us to verify the invoice is legitimate using the phone number listed on The County of Riverside website before paying any fee.
• Do not rely solely on logos, seals, or official‑sounding language.
• Visit the official city or county website for posted scam alerts.

Report Suspicious Activity

If you believe you have received a fraudulent message or made a payment to a scammer, file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at https://www.ic3.gov/.