SCAM ALERT! Wake Forest warning community about fraudulent email scam targeting Planning Department customers

• Community members are urged to guard against becoming the victim of fraud following new reports of a fraudulent phishing scam targeting Wake Forest Planning Department customers. 
• The emails claim to be from the “Planning Commission Town of Wake Forest” or Planning Department seeking payment. 
• Community members are urged to report to the Town of Wake Forest and Wake Forest Police Department any suspicious emails and delete them immediately.

WAKE FOREST, NC – The Town of Wake Forest and the Wake Forest Police Department are again urging community members to guard against becoming the victim of fraud following new reports of a fraudulent phishing scam targeting Wake Forest Planning Department customers. Using a bogus email address (planning-wakeforestn@usa.com), the emails claim to be from the “Planning Commission Town of Wake Forest” or Planning Department requesting payment. 

The emails include official-sounding language and the names of actual Town staff to seem authentic – but they are not. Many times, it’s hard to tell what’s a scam and what isn’t - but this is a scam designed to pressure victims into making payments to scammers

What to do if you receive a suspicious email: 

• Do not reply or click on any links.
• Do not open any attachments.
• Do not wire money for payments.
• Report the email as spam or phishing and/or delete the email immediately. 

How to Spot a Phishing Email: 

• Check the sender's email address. The email may look official but comes from a suspicious or unofficial address. Emails from the Planning Department end in @wakeforestnc.gov. 
• Look for urgent or threatening language. Scammers often use high-pressure words in the email to get you to act without thinking.  
• Hover over links in the email before you click on them. The text might say it's going to a legitimate website, but the actual URL is different.  
• Be suspicious of requests for personal data. The Town of Wake Forest will never ask for your Social Security Number, bank account information, or passwords by email.  
• If you are curious whether you have an outstanding invoice, you can call Customer Service Center at 919-435-9478. 

If you believe that you are a victim of this type of crime, report it to the Wake Forest Police Department at 919-554-6150.