Officials in Northfield are alerting residents and businesses about an email scam targeting people who have applied for relief from the city’s combined Planning and Zoning Board.
Scammers are falsely claiming to represent the city in Atlantic County and sending fraudulent invoices to board applicants, according to a social media post shared by the city on Dec. 5.
The scammers are using information taken directly from publicly posted Planning and Zoning Board agendas on the municipal website, according to the post.
They create fake invoices that appear to come from the municipality, using the city logo and names of actual staff members.
The fraudulent invoices reference real meeting dates and legitimate application information, then demand large payments via wire transfer, officials said.
The scammers allegedly claim the money is required for applications or board hearings and provide spoofed email addresses that look similar to official municipal domains.
Because the invoices contain accurate details, they may appear legitimate, particularly to applicants unfamiliar with municipal processes.
The city said residents who receive a suspicious invoice should not send money or respond to the email.
They should contact the planning board secretary at 609-641-2832, ext. 127, or the construction office at 609-641-2832, ext. 141, and report the incident to the Northfield police at 609-641-3122.
