Alpharetta Police Warn of Scam Targeting Public Hearing Applicants

ALPHARETTA, GA — The Alpharetta Police Department on Monday warned people about a scam targeting public hearing applicants.

The department is sending the warning to residents, businesses and developers.

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During the scam, police said emails consisting of falsified invoices are appearing to derive from the City of Alpharetta when they are sent to people. The fake invoices include payment requests for permits or services, police said.

The emails could comprise of logos that appear official, staff names and project details that come from public records, police said.

"Scammers are using publicly available information to make the messages appear legitimate," police said.

The scammers could potentially be monitoring public meeting agendas in efforts to directly contact applicants, police said.

Authorities in the region have received reports of similar scams from local governments, police said.

"The Alpharetta Police Department is working with law enforcement partners to investigate these reports and help protect the community," police said.

Authorities said people should take heed to the following tips:

• Official City of Alpharetta email addresses end in @alpharetta.ga.us.
• Be cautious of emails requesting payment by wire transfer. The city does not use wire transfers for community development fees.
• Treat unsolicited attachments and links with suspicion.
• When in doubt, verify the request directly with the city before sending payment or sharing information.

"If you receive a suspicious email, do not respond or send payment," police said.

More information: Alpharetta Community Development, (678) 297-6070.