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The City of Alexandria is warning permit applicants and property owners about a phishing scheme in which scammers impersonate city officials and demand payment for fraudulent permit fees, the city announced Wednesday.
The scam uses publicly available permit information — including property addresses and case numbers — to send realistic-looking emails that attach fake invoices requesting payment via wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or mobile payment apps such as Venmo and Zelle. The city said the scheme is targeting individuals and businesses nationwide.
Officials say residents should check the sender's email domain first. Legitimate city communications will only come from addresses ending in @alexandriava.gov. Suspicious variations — such as "@usa.com" or slight misspellings of the city's domain — are red flags.
The city does not accept permit payments via wire transfer, peer-to-peer apps, or cryptocurrency.
Anyone who receives an unexpected invoice should not reply to the email. Instead, the city advises calling the relevant department directly to verify any balance due:
- Planning & Zoning: 703-746-4666
- Transportation & Environmental Services: 703-746-4035
- Code Administration: 703-746-4200
Residents who believe they have received a fraudulent email should report it to Alex311 by submitting a ticket online or calling 703-746-3411.
