Fake Emails Impersonating Town Boards Circulating In Riverhead, Officials Say

RIVERHEAD, NY — Fake emails are circulating, falsely claiming to be sent on behalf of Riverhead Town boards, including the zoning board of appeals and the planning board, officials said.

The messages attempt to collect permit or application fees by directing recipients to make payments outside of official town channels, officials added.

For example, scam emails requesting application review and approval fees have come from an email address formatted as: planning.townofriverheadny.gov@usa.com.

"These emails are not sent by the town!" Riverhead officials said.

All town emails end in @townofriverheadny.gov.

"The town does not request payments, invoices, or permit fees through unsolicited emails, links, or electronic payment requests from outside email addresses," officials said.

Residents and applicants are reminded of the following important precautions:

- Always verify any request for payment related to permits or applications.

- Be cautious of unexpected invoices, especially those requesting immediate payment.

- Do not click links or open attachments in emails you were not expecting.

- When in doubt, contact the appropriate town office directly before making any payment. Call 631-727-3200 or click here for contact information.

If you receive an invoice, payment request, or email that you do not recognize or were not expecting, please contact the town directly using the phone numbers listed on the official town website.

"Town staff will be happy to confirm whether a request is legitimate. The town is actively monitoring this situation and encourages residents to remain vigilant. Reporting suspicious emails helps protect the community and prevent fraud," officials said.