The FBI warns of a targeted phishing campaign where attackers impersonate local officials to steal permit fees, using publicly available permit data to craft convincing, unsolicited emails that reference legitimate application details and direct victims to send payments via wire transfer.
The FBI is warning about a phishing scheme in which cybercriminals impersonate city and county officials to solicit fraudulent payments for planning and zoning permits. Criminals mine publicly available permit data to find likely targets and make their outreach appear legitimate. Investigators say victims receive unsolicited emails that cite legitimate permit details, including zoning application numbers and property addresses. The messages demand payment of permit-related fees and direct recipients to send money by wire transfer, … More → The post Phishing campaign spoofs local officials to steal permit fees appeared first on Help Net Security .