Fake Emails, Real Losses: Napa County Sounds Alarm Over Costly Phishing Scam

NAPA VALLEY, CA — Scammers posing as county officials are siphoning thousands of dollars from Napa County residents and business owners, prompting an urgent public warning about a fast-spreading phishing scam.

Napa County authorities said fraudsters are impersonating staff, sending emails that demand payment for permits, applications, or other government services. The messages look convincing — complete with official-sounding language and department names — but they are fake.I

n the latest reported incident, scammers targeted victims by posing as the county’s Planning, Building, and Environmental Services Department, pressuring victims to wire funds and make other payments tied to supposed permit activity. Some recipients complied, losing thousands of dollars before realizing the requests were fake.

County officials said legitimate emails will always come from addresses ending in @countyofnapa.org, not generic domains such as @usa.com or other variations.

Authorities are urging residents and business owners to slow down and scrutinize any payment request sent by email. They advise the public not to click on suspicious links or attachments and to avoid sending money or personal information unless they independently verify the request.

Anyone unsure about an email’s legitimacy should contact the county directly using phone numbers or email addresses listed on the official website.

The Planning, Building, and Environmental Services Department can be reached at 707-253-4417 or planning@countyofnapa.org.

Officials also encourage anyone who receives a suspicious message to report it to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. “Your vigilance helps protect our entire community,” county officials said in a statement.