What We Know: The City of Springfield is warning residents and businesses about a scam involving fake planning and zoning emails.
What It Means: Officials say scammers are posing as city agencies and sending invoices that look real. Some even use official logos and public information to trick people into paying fraudulent application fees.
The city says legitimate Springfield emails will always end in @springfieldmo.gov. Planning and zoning payments should only be made through the city’s official online payment system.
What’s Next: Residents are urged to double-check email addresses, avoid sending money in response to unexpected invoices, and be cautious of requests for wire transfers.
Anyone who receives a suspicious email should not send payment. Instead, report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
(Photo courtesy of the City of Springfield)