The City of New Braunfels issued a scam alert cautioning residents about fraudulent emails aimed at property owners liaising with the City’s Neighborhood and Community Planning Department. According to the notice, the scam involved emails falsely claiming to be from the city, feigning notices of Planning & Development fee payments, accompanied by counterfeit invoices and wire transfer instructions.
This fraud alert underscores that the official communications regarding fee payments are managed through an online system exclusively, negating any use of email invoicing or wire transfer requests. The City of New Braunfels announcement stated, "All Planning & Development fees are invoiced through an online system and all payments are made through that system." It also clarified that authentic city employee emails would end with the domain @newbraunfels.gov, an important detail to verify amidst such deceptive activities.
Authorities urge the New Braunfels community to exercise caution and refrain from engaging with or responding to these deceptive emails. Instead, the recommended course of action for anyone who has received such an email is to contact the Neighborhood and Community Planning Department directly at 830-221-4069 to report the occurrence.
In a broader context, the scam in New Braunfels is part of an alarming trend of fraudulent schemes targeting unsuspecting individuals. Not confined to fabricated emails, scammers impersonate law enforcement, IRS agents, and other officials to trick victims into parting with their money through unorthodox payment methods. The City of New Braunfels insightfully warns, "Legitimate businesses or government organizations will NEVER ask you to make a payment by purchasing gift cards or temporary credit cards." This serves as a critical reminder for residents to remain vigilant against such deceptive tactics.
