The City of Monroe is alerting residents, property owners, and business applicants to an ongoing scam involving fraudulent emails and fake invoices impersonating the City’s Planning and Development Department.
While the details of the messages have varied, each email requested payment by wire transfer in order to process or advance a permit, application, or planning request.
These messages are not legitimate and this is not the first time this has happened. In December, Monroe Police shared a warning about a similar scam email and the City of Monroe posted a similar article.
In the most recent cases, the fraudulent messages used official City branding, referenced real properties or active applications, and included itemized “review” or “approval” fees to appear credible. The emails directed recipients to request wire transfer instructions and submit payment confirmation before their application could proceed.
The fraudulent messages:
- Use the City logo, official mailing address, and real City staff names
- Reference real property addresses
- Include detailed itemized fee breakdowns
- Instruct recipients to request wire transfer instructions
- Originate from non-City email addresses, including Gmail or other public domains
The City of Monroe will never request payment by wire transfer via email. Official City correspondence will only come from an email address ending in @monroenc.org.
Applicants and business owners are urged to verify any payment request directly with the City before taking action. Individuals involved in active planning or permitting processes who receive a suspicious message should:
- Not respond to the email
- Not send payment
- Contact Planning & Development directly at 704-282-4569
- Report the incident to the Monroe Police Department
The City has published an official Scam Awareness page with more details on these specific messages and what community members should look out for. That information is available at: www.monroenc.org/653/Scam-Awareness
City officials are working with law enforcement and internal departments to monitor the situation and prevent further attempts.