Chelan County warns of email scam targeting Community Development applicants

WENATCHEE — Chelan County Community Development is warning residents about an email scam that mimics official county communications and seeks fraudulent payments from land-use applicants.

The department said a local resident applying for a Comprehensive Plan amendment received an emailed invoice for $5,000 this week. The message included specific details about the application, including parcel numbers, and used the county logo and the name of Community Development Director Deanna Walter to appear legitimate.

Community Development emphasized it does not email invoices. Land-use application fees are paid at the time of application, either in person at the department’s public counter or through a customer’s online account. Final building permit fees are collected the same way, or staff will call customers directly for payment.

“These scams are getting harder and harder to detect, especially because of the availability of public records and public notices of applications,” Community Development Director Deanna Walter said. “Just remember that my department will never send you an invoice through your email.”

The department urged residents to scrutinize suspicious messages for signs of phishing, such as misspellings, unusual or spoofed sender addresses, unfamiliar links, and requests for payment by wire transfer. In this case, officials said the scam email listed an incorrect office address and referenced the Planning Commission.

Residents who believe they have received a fraudulent email are encouraged to report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. Anyone who receives an email purporting to be from Chelan County Community Development and is unsure of its authenticity should call the department at 509-667-6225.