Scammers targeting Lane County residents involved in land use planning process demand bogus fees and wire transfers

Lane County Land Management has been made aware of a scam email targeting people involved in active land use applications. The email asks for additional fees to be paid via wire transfer to finalize approval of a special use permit.

"These scammers are particularly good at mimicking a lot of the language and terms we use when communicating with applicants and others involved in a land use process," said Lane County Land Management Division Manager Keir Miller. "Please remember that we will never ask for a wire transfer of funds and that it is okay to call us first to confirm something is legitimate. Trust your gut."

The email references specific permit numbers and attempts to impersonate a real Lane County employee, but there are portions that should cause a reader to question the email's legitimacy, including:

• the originating email shows up as "[email protected]" rather than a real Lane County email.
• asking for payment via a non-refundable and unusual method (wire transfers).
• demanding all communication be conducted via email.

Lane County NEVER accepts payment via wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift cards. Lane County NEVER asks you for financial information such as bank account numbers, PIN numbers, investment accounts, or access codes.

Although the current scam is targeting residents that have applied for land use permits, other jurisdictions have reported similar scams involving building and sanitation permits. Remember - when in doubt, reach out and confirm the request is legitimate.

Other signs of a scam from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau include:

• Asking you to pay money or taxes upfront to receive a prize or a gift.
• Pressuring you to act right away by telling you the deal won't last or doesn't give you time to ask questions.
• Creating a sense of urgency or emergency to play on your emotions to get you to act quickly.

People can protect themselves by slowing down and verifying requests. Do not click on links, scan QR codes or download attachments in messages you don't recognize, weren't expecting or do not trust. Do not use the contact information provided by the possible scammer; call the organization using their official phone number or website.

If others have been targeted by this scam, please consider contacting Lane County Land Management at 541-682-4065 to help build an understanding of how active this scam is in our community.