COLUMBIA COUNTY, Fla. — Columbia County officials issued a warning Friday regarding fraudulent emails targeting residents, contractors and permit applicants. These scam messages falsely claim that additional payments are owed on building or permit applications.
The alert comes after the county discovered individuals are using fake email addresses to impersonate official county accounts. Scammers are using information obtained from public records to target applicants with requests for additional fees.
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The fraudulent messages often appear legitimate to the recipient because they include specific details. However, county officials confirmed these emails are not being sent by the county or the Building & Zoning Department.
Columbia County policy dictates that the government does not request additional payments through unofficial email addresses, third-party links or unsolicited messages.
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Officials are urging any applicants who receive a payment notice to carefully review the sender’s email address before taking any action. Applicants are also advised to avoid clicking on unfamiliar links or attachments and to refrain from providing any personal or financial information in response to these messages.
If there is any doubt about whether a message is legitimate, applicants are encouraged to contact the Building & Zoning Department directly at 386-758-1007. Staff can verify whether a payment is actually owed by using the official contact information listed on the county website.
Residents who believe they have received a fraudulent message are encouraged to report it and remain vigilant.
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