Zoning Scam

Walworth County has published the following notice on thier website

We continue to receive reports of fraudulent emails and invoices that appear to be official correspondence from our zoning and planning staff. These fraudulent solicitations direct residents to promptly pay an invoice via wire transfer so the department can finalize a zoning permit. These scams are extremely sophisticated, appear professional, use our official logo on what appears to be official letterhead, and may even use the names of Walworth County zoning and planning employees to appear legitimate.
 
These emails were not sent by Walworth County zoning staff, and the department would never send emails requesting wire transfers in exchange for permits. Please do not respond to these notices, and exercise caution with any unsolicited email you receive.
 
Red flags that indicate the email is fraudulent include:

Suspicious contact information not affiliated with Walworth County. All emails from Walworth County’s Land Use division end with @co.walworth.wi.us.
Pressure to pay promptly via wire transfer. The Land Use and Resource Management Department accepts cash, checks, or credit card payments and will never send unsolicited emails pressuring residents to pay zoning application fees.
Anyone who receives a suspicious email or invoice should avoid making payments and call the Walworth County Land Use and Resource Management office at (262) 741-4972.