CLARK COUNTY — Clark County officials are warning residents and businesses about a scam in which criminals impersonate local planning and zoning departments to collect fraudulent application fees.
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Scammers are sending emails that appear to originate from government agencies, such as Clark County Community and Economic Development.
The messages frequently contain realistic invoices featuring publicly available details and official county logos, often delivered shortly before scheduled hearings to create a sense of urgency.
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Officials highlighted key differences between legitimate government communications and fraudulent emails.
The scam messages often utilize non-governmental email domains ending in @mail.com or @usa.com, whereas official Clark County correspondence always originates from addresses ending in @clarkcountyohio.gov.
County officials emphasized that it will never request payment through wire transfers.
Recipients are advised to carefully inspect sender email addresses and avoid responding or submitting payment to unfamiliar contacts.
If a suspicious email is received, recipients should avoid clicking on attachments, replying to the sender, or submitting any funds.
