The City of Charlotte issued an advisory about a scam targeting individuals applying for rezoning. Emails resembling official messages from the city’s Planning, Design & Development Department have been sent to applicants, requesting wire transfers to pay false invoices.
The fraudulent emails instruct recipients to make payments to a specified account and claim that immediate action is required, which is not a procedure used by city officials. The City of Charlotte stated that these emails were not sent from the city and advised residents to disregard them. Legitimate fee payment notifications from the City of Charlotte’s land development section are sent from [email protected] or [email protected], originating from Accela, the official platform used for such transactions.
Official payments can only be made in two ways: electronically by credit card or eCheck, or by check delivered or mailed to the CLT Development Center address. Any request from staff or city officials for wire transfers should be considered a warning sign, as such requests are not part of the city’s payment process.
Charlotte officials are asking anyone who received the scam email and made a payment to contact local authorities by dialing 911 or 311 to file a report. The scam appears to be an isolated incident, with no additional reports at this time. Residents are advised to verify payment information directly with the appropriate department.
