City Warns of Scam Emails Related to Permits

The City of Cambridge and the Community Development Department are warning residents and businesses about a recent email scam that has targeted various community members. There have been several recent instances where individuals or businesses conducting a transaction with the City, such as applying for a Special Permit, have received fake invoices by email.

In these cases, the applicant received an official looking email that fraudulently used the name of a real City employee who works in the responsible department. The email states there is a fee that needed to be paid in order to complete the desired transaction. The email says that payment will require a wire transfer and instructs the recipient to respond to the email for payment instructions. Fortunately, none of the people who have reported receiving these emails have sustained any sort of financial loss.

If you receive an e-mail from the City of Cambridge, we encourage you to take the following steps to verify its authenticity:

• Check the Return E-mail Address. All City of Cambridge employees have a work e-mail account that comes from an address associated with the City or their respective department.

For example – City of Cambridge emails all end in @cambridgema.gov; and Cambridge Police emails all end in @cambridgepolice.org.

@usa.com is not an official government domain and is not a contractor or payment processor used by the City of Cambridge. That domain has been observed and reported in scams by other cities and counties across the country.

• Verify the Information. If a fee for a transaction was not expected, we encourage you to call the appropriate City department using the number listed on the city website or visit their office to ensure its authenticity. Do not reply to the email, click any links or call the phone numbers listed in the email as these could connect you with a scammer. Please call the City; if the fee is legitimate, a staff member will be able to provide an explanation.

• Ensure the Payment Method is Valid. When conducting an authorized transaction with the City, you will never be asked to purchase gift cards, make a payment by wire transfer, or use a mobile payment method (such as Zelle, Venmo, or PayPal) or BitCoin.

• Report Suspicious Activity. If you receive a suspicious or fraudulent email from a City official, please notify the appropriate City department. If you have been victimized and sustained a financial loss due to a fraudulent transaction, please file a report with the Cambridge Police.