Redmond residents are getting hammered with slick-looking scam emails that pretend to come from city departments, complete with fake permit invoices and demands to wire money. The messages can look surprisingly legit, sometimes referencing real properties or project details, and city officials say applicants should hit pause on any unexpected payment request until they verify it through official channels.
The city is urging people to double-check every set of payment instructions before sending a single dollar.
On May 5, the city posted an advisory on X warning people not to respond to suspicious permit or payment requests and to confirm the authenticity of any payment instructions, according to the city's post on X. The Development Services Center also lists the Customer Service Team at 425‑556‑7000 and weekday hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for verification, according to City of Redmond.
Be aware of fraudulent messages claiming to be from city departments. Verify any unexpected permit or payment communication through official city channels, including any requests for wire transfers.
— City of Redmond (@CityofRedmondWA) May 5, 2026
Scammers use public permit details to make invoices look real
Federal authorities say this is not just a Redmond problem. Criminals are pulling public permit records to build convincing emails that include real addresses, case numbers, and officials' names, then pressuring victims to pay by wire transfer, peer-to-peer apps, or cryptocurrency, according to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. IC3's alert highlights red flags such as non-.gov sender domains, invoices demanding urgent payment, and instructions to reply only by email instead of calling, and it urges victims to file complaints at ic3.gov.
How to protect your project and your money
Local governments across the region have issued similar alerts after contractors and homeowners reported fake invoices. A Hoodline report described a Washington County advisory that told applicants to verify payment instructions by calling the phone number printed on original paperwork rather than following an email's instructions. For payments, officials advise using official permitting portals and never wiring funds to accounts given only in email, according to wire scam targets builders.
If you receive a suspicious message, call Redmond’s Customer Service Team at 425‑556‑7000 during weekday hours to confirm or use the city's e-permitting portal to pay fees, according to City of Redmond. If you believe you were targeted or have lost money, file a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3 and contact your bank immediately.
