The City of Santa Barbara has issued a warning following reports of scam emails impersonating City departments and requesting fraudulent payments, according to a notice released on December 17.
City officials said the fraudulent emails target community members by referencing real property addresses and project details. The messages claim certain payments are required and ask recipients to provide wire transfer details, along with a signed copy of the invoice and proof of payment.
The emails also falsely state that payment is required before a public hearing can move forward.
According to the City, the scam emails have been sent from addresses such as planningco.cityofsantabarbaraca@usa.com or similar variations. While they may use City-style wording, formatting, or logos, they are not legitimate City communications.
The emails falsely claim to represent the City of Santa Barbara or the Planning Commission, but officials emphasized they are not legitimate.
Many of the messages include a fake PDF invoice listing charges for services such as application review and processing, zoning and compliance checks, legal and administrative costs, and public notification or documentation fees.
The City advised residents not to respond, click on any links, or send money, and to carefully review the sender’s email address.
Officials said legitimate City emails always end in @SantaBarbaraCA.gov, and messages from other domains, such as @usa.com, should be considered fraudulent.
Officials noted that similar tactics are used in other types of fraud. Scammers often create a false sense of urgency, demanding immediate action, or request sensitive information such as passwords, PINs, or one-time passcodes through emails or text messages.
Requests for payment through wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency are also common warning signs. Poor grammar, unusual wording, or inconsistent formatting may further indicate a message is not genuine.
Additionally, fraudsters may pose as relatives or acquaintances, claiming they are in trouble and need immediate help. According to the Santa Barbara Police Department, the goal is to create panic so victims act without thinking.
In some cases, scammers initiate friendly or romantic online conversations to build trust over time. Once a connection is established, they may ask for money or personal financial information. Officials advise treating any such request as a warning sign.
According to University of California, Santa Barbara, many phishing emails are intentionally designed to appear genuine and credible.
If a suspicious email is received, recipients should avoid clicking on links or filling out forms. UC Santa Barbara recommends visiting the organization’s official website by typing the address directly into a browser or contacting the organization using trusted contact information, then deleting the message.
