Beware of Ongoing Scam Emails Impersonating Boulder County Community Planning & Permitting

Boulder County, Colo. - Boulder County is warning the public about an ongoing phishing scheme by criminals impersonating city and county officials to solicit fraudulent payments for planning applications and permits. One such email scam is targeting planning applicants, builders and contractors who work with the Boulder County Community Planning and Permitting Department.

A recent scam starts with an email claiming to be from "Boulder County Community Planning -Permitting Administration" or “Planning Commission Boulder County CO” with the subject “Application Review and Approval Fee Invoice – Action Required.” The scammer requests “…settlement of the attached invoice for the Application Review and Approval Fee” and asks the recipient to “Reply to this email requesting the invoice wire transfer instructions.”

Boulder Community Planning and Permitting does not send invoices requesting wire transfer of payment.

Common Indicators of the Scheme

The emails contain detailed, accurate information about planning applications, including property addresses, docket numbers, and the true names of county officials.
The emails use language, formatting, and imagery consistent with legitimate government communications for planning applications.
The email addresses contain usernames similar to 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 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 county 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.

The Boulder County District Attorney’s Office – Community Protection and the Boulder County Cybersecurity Program actively responds and strives to protect and inform everyone in Boulder County, including local businesses, of potential scams. Please be cautious when viewing emails or text messages that claim to be from the government.

Tips To Protect Yourself

Check the email address. All Boulder County employees have an email address which includes bouldercounty.gov or bouldercounty.org. Do not assume emails are legitimate based on the use of county letterhead, logos, names of officials, or proper spelling and grammar.
Note urgent language. Scammers often create a sense of urgency and request quick action, such as "Your account may be suspended" or "For auditing, compliance, recordkeeping, and agenda inclusion purposes, all correspondence associated with this case must be conducted via email only” or "Immediate Action Required."
Confirm with Boulder County. If you are unsure that a text message, email, letter, or phone call from Boulder County is a scam, please contact the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office – Community Protection Division at 303-441-3700 or email dacpd@bouldercounty.gov.

View FBI Alert Number I-030926-PSA - Criminals Impersonating City and County Officials in Phishing Emails for Planning and Zoning Permits for more information.

Boulder County wants to ensure that everyone has equal access to our programs, activities, and services. To request an Americans with Disability Act (ADA) accommodation, please email ada@bouldercounty.gov, or call 303-441-1386. If you need help in another language, please email cppfrontdesk@bouldercounty.gov or call 303-441-3930.

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