Bernalillo County’s Planning and Development Services Department has issued a warning about an email scam in which residents have been directed to wire more than $25,000 to an off-site email address so that their zoning application before the county can go forward.

County staff is aware of at least one constituent that has received an email pretending to be from the county’s Planning & Zoning Commission, thanking them for their application. It is believed the scammer got personal information on who submitted the request from meeting agendas available on the county’s website, bernco.gov., as part of the official public record.

The email adds that “to finalize the approval process … it is essential that you settle the attached invoice for the county compensation fee.”  An attached PDF file labeled “Invoice,” complete with a copy of the county seal on each page, itemizes “charges” that in this case totaled $25,200, due upon receipt. It instructed a wire-transfer payment to email address planning.bernco@usa.com, which is not affiliated with Bernalillo County.

Bernalillo County is working with relevant law enforcement agencies to pursue appropriate action and is contacting individuals directly that may have received similar scam emails.

Bernalillo County reminds the public that payment of required fees would only occur in person at county offices, through bernco.gov, or through delivery of a check via mail to official county departments. Also, the county never solicits a wire transfer of funds and does not conduct financial transactions via email.

For questions about the authenticity of any communication, to report any suspected scam emails or to verify the legitimacy of required county fees, please call BernCo at  505-468-7777.