Scammers Impersonating Marin County Official To Steal Money From Permit Applicants

MARIN COUNTY, CA — The Marin County Community Development Agency is warning planning and building permit applicants about a phishing scam in which fraudsters are sending fake invoices while impersonating a top county official, authorities announced Saturday.

The agency said it had received reports of emails that appear to come from CDA Director Sarah Jones, telling recipients they owe an administrative fee and attaching a fake invoice. The emails are fraudulent and were not sent by the county.

The CDA says it only collects permit payments through official channels — including ProjectDox notifications, county website prompts, permit fee payment forms, or personal check by mail or drop-off.

The agency stated it will never request payment by wire transfer, Zelle, Venmo, PayPal, or other payment apps.

"Scams like this are designed to look credible by misusing public-facing permit information and the names of local officials," Jones said. "It can create confusion, delay projects and put applicants at risk of financial loss."

Anyone who receives a suspicious email or invoice should verify it before sending any money by contacting the CDA Permit Ombudsperson at CDAOmbudsperson@marincounty.gov.

Applicants are also advised to check the sender's full email address, avoid clicking links or opening attachments in unexpected messages, and never send permit payments through a payment app.