The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Irvine Police Department are warning the public about an emerging phishing scheme by criminals impersonating City and county officials to solicit fraudulent payments for City and county planning and zoning permits. The criminals leverage publicly available permit information to identify potential victims and increase the legitimacy of the scam. Emails have been originating from the email address Planning.CityofIrvineCA@usa.com. The scammers use project information that is publicly available to make the scam look more legitimate. Victims of this scam have been identified nationwide (FBI Bulletin)
Please note:
- Official City emails will only come from an “@cityofirvine.org” email address.
- Online payments (including credit/debit card payments) are made only through the City’s secure payment portal: https://arpayments.cityofirvine.org. We will never ask you to wire money to a bank account unsolicited.
- Payments by check or electronic bank transfer are accepted only using payment instructions provided by the City through official communications, and only if that payment method is first requested by an applicant.
- If you receive a payment request that seems unexpected or different from prior instructions, please do not respond to that email or submit payment.
City of Irvine staff will never contact the public without prior warning to demand immediate payment for fines, warrants, or fees associated with permits or property.
Common indicators of the scheme are:
- The emails contain detailed, accurate information about planning and zoning requests, including property addresses, case numbers, and the names of City and county officials.
- The emails use professional language, formatting, and imagery consistent with legitimate government communications for planning and zoning applications, including review processes, planning commission procedures, regulatory compliance, and relevant ordinances.
- The email addresses contain usernames similar to City or county planning and zoning departments but originate from non-governmental domains, such as "@usa.com"
- Email delivery may be timed to coincide with ongoing communications with City and county officials regarding the permitting process.
- Attached PDF invoices contain itemized statements of purported fees and direct applicants to request payment instructions via email, rather than telephone, to ensure a reliable audit trail for all correspondence related to the application. This is designed to deter the victim from calling the City or county office to verify the fees.
- The emails emphasize urgency, threatening delays or other obstacles in the permitting process if the applicant does not immediately render payment.
How to protect yourself:
- Be suspicious of unexpected calls, emails, or texts claiming to be from a government agency.
- Never pay surprise bills or fines without checking directly with the agency using an official phone number or website.
- Do not use numbers or links in suspicious messages. Always look up the agency’s phone number yourself and verify the information.
- Never share your personal or financial information with anyone who contacts you unexpectedly.
- Never pay with gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or payment apps. These are red flags for scams.
If you think you have been targeted or scammed, please contact the Irvine Police Department at 949-724-7000 to file a report.
f you have any questions or would like to verify a request for payment, please contact your assigned case planner directly using the contact information previously provided. You can also call the Planning Counter at 949-724-6308 with questions.