The city of Philomath is warning residents, property owners and prospective applicants about a phishing scam targeting people who have submitted land use, permitting or development applications with the city.
In a press release issued Tuesday, Assistant City Manager Chelsea Starner said the scam is actively affecting city customers. Scammers are sending fraudulent emails that impersonate city staff and demand payment for “approval fees” or other costs tied to fake invoices or application updates.
The emails are described as convincing, often including real applicant names, accurate details about pending projects, city logos and language mimicking official city correspondence, down to staff titles and department names. The messages ask recipients to reply for wire transfer instructions and to send proof of payment once the transfer is complete.
City officials stressed that Philomath will never ask customers to wire money for permit payments, project approvals or any other service.
Anyone in the permitting process who receives an unusual payment request should contact the city using the phone number listed on their original permit paperwork, or call 541-929-6148, ext. 4, to confirm whether the request is legitimate.
The city recommends the following precautions:
- Do not reply to unsolicited emails requesting payment for permit or application fees, even if they appear to come from a city employee or reference real project details.
- Never wire funds to pay city fees.
- Verify any payment request by calling the Planning Department directly, using the number listed on the city’s website rather than one provided in an email.
- Check the sender’s email address closely. Scammers often use addresses that closely resemble, but do not exactly match, official city domains.
- Do not click links or provide financial information in a suspicious email.
Residents who believe they’ve received a phishing email related to city business, or who have already responded to one, are urged to contact the Philomath Planning Department at 541-929-6148, ext. 4, or planning@philomathoregon.gov to verify their application status.
Anyone who has already sent money should contact their bank immediately and file a report with the Oregon Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection division at www.doj.state.or.us/consumer-protection, and/or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.