El Paso officials are sounding the alarm after scammers started posing as the city’s Planning and Inspections Department and blasting out emails that demand a bogus “city compensation fee.” The messages come with fake invoices attached and pressure people to pay up fast, sometimes tipping their hand with clunky grammar or sketchy email domains. The city is urging residents not to open attachments, not to send any money, and instead to contact the One Stop Shop at (915) 212-0104 or [email protected] if anything looks off.
What the city is saying
According to the City of El Paso, the fraudulent emails often reference real projects, attach phony invoice PDFs, and request payment for a so-called “City Compensation Fee.” The same warning was shared on the city’s official Facebook page, and the One Stop Shop is asking anyone who receives these messages to reach out at [email protected] or (915) 212-0104 before doing anything else.
How the scam typically works
Local reporting describes scammers sending tailored emails that sometimes pull in public project information, then attaching a polished-looking invoice that appears legitimate and instructing recipients to reply for payment details, as reported by KVIA. Common warning signs include odd sender addresses such as @usa.com, high-pressure language demanding immediate payment, and awkward or incorrect grammar. City officials say that if you spot any of those clues, assume the email is fraudulent until you can independently confirm it.
How to protect yourself and report
Residents are urged not to click links or open attachments in suspicious emails and to ignore any unsolicited invoice that suddenly shows up in their inboxes. Instead, verify payment requests by using contact information from official city webpages, not from the email itself, and save the full message with headers and attachments as potential evidence. You can file a report through the Federal Trade Commission and submit an online complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Why this matters locally
Municipal impersonation scams have cropped up nationwide, and El Paso officials have been flagging this same pattern on the Planning & Inspections webpages, which currently feature a phishing alert on the issue, according to City Planning & Inspections. The city first put out a similar advisory in August 2025 and continues to remind businesses and permit applicants to double-check any payment request using verified city channels. That vigilance is especially crucial for small contractors and homeowners who frequently handle permits and fee payments.
Next steps for residents
If you have already responded to a suspicious email or sent money, officials recommend contacting your bank immediately to attempt to stop or reverse any payment, then notifying the One Stop Shop so staff can review and flag any related project files. Keep screenshots, the original email, and headers, and report the incident to federal authorities so investigators can track the scheme and coordinate enforcement efforts.
