Scammers are again trying to cash in on local government paperwork. The Union County Sheriff’s Office warned residents yesterday that crooks are circulating fake invoices dressed up to look like they came from the Jerome Township Planning and Development Department, demanding payment by wire transfer. The bogus bills mimic official documents but are laced with odd dates, misspellings and other red flags meant to push people into paying fast.
In a Facebook post, deputies shared a sample invoice that showed a $5,950 total and wiring instructions naming Community Federal Savings Bank. The sheriff’s office called out specific warning signs, including “misspelled words” and an oddball date formatted as “july 6 29/2026,” according to the Union County Sheriff's Office. Residents were urged to verify any surprise invoice by contacting the township or agency directly using phone numbers or email addresses they find themselves, not the ones printed on the document.
How The Scam Works
Authorities say the pattern fits a broader scam trend in which criminals pose as city or county planning officials, then attach realistic-looking invoices to pressure applicants into paying for bogus fees. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center has warned that these impostor-permit schemes often insist on wire transfers and recommends calling the relevant government office using the number on its official website to confirm any charges, according to IC3.
Verify Payments With Township Contacts
Jerome Township’s official website lists its office at 9777 Industrial Parkway in Plain City and provides a public phone number, (614) 873-4480. Township officials say that number should be used to double-check any invoice or permit fee. Both the sheriff’s warning and federal guidance stress using contact details you have independently verified instead of numbers, email addresses or links printed on suspicious documents, according to Jerome Township.
Why The Bank Name Matters
The sample invoice’s wiring instructions pointed to Community Federal Savings Bank, a detail that raised eyebrows because regulators recently cited the bank for weak anti-money-laundering controls. In April 2026, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency issued a consent order outlining deficiencies in the bank’s BSA/AML program. The order does not show any proven link to this specific scam, but regulators note that weak controls can make fraudulent wire transfers harder to trace or recover, per the OCC.
What To Do If You’re Targeted
If one of these invoices lands in your mailbox or inbox, law enforcement says you should hit pause, not pay. Do not send money and do not use any phone number, email address, or link printed on the invoice. Instead, call Jerome Township using the number listed on its official website, report the attempt to the Union County Sheriff’s Office or the county crime tip line, file a complaint with the FBI’s IC3, and contact your bank immediately to ask whether a wire can be recalled. The county posts its contact information and tip lines online, and federal guidance explains how to submit an internet crime complaint, according to the Union County Sheriff's Office and IC3.
