LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A phishing scam is targeting do-it-yourselfers whose home improvement projects require permits.
The scam starts with an email or text that demands immediate fee payment and threatens delays. The message will appear official. It may even contain your home address and a case number, and it will instruct you to pay with a wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or with peer-to-peer money transfer apps like Venmo or Zelle.
But the bill is bogus. If you pay up, you will get ripped off.
Scammers often use publicly-available information, like your address, to lend legitimacy to their emails and texts. Legitimate government agencies will never demand payment using crypto, wire transfer, or payment apps. So that request is a red flag.
If you do receive an unexpected invoice from city or county government, do not use the link or contact information in the message. Instead, verify it using the agency’s official phone number or website.
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