The City of Campbell is warning residents, contractors, and property owners about fraudulent emails impersonating City staff and requesting payment for planning or building permit services.
These scam emails may appear legitimate by using City department names, staff titles, project addresses, or permit-related terminology. In some cases, recipients may receive a fake invoice or be instructed to submit payment to avoid delays in permit approval.
The City of Campbell does not request payments through unofficial channels or pressure customers to make immediate payments through suspicious links or attachments.
How to Identify a Potential Scam
Be cautious if an email:
- Requests payment through unfamiliar or unofficial methods.
- Creates urgency by stating your permit approval will be delayed without immediate payment.
- Contains suspicious links, attachments, or unfamiliar sender email addresses.
- Includes unusual formatting, grammatical inconsistencies, or generic contact information.
How to Protect Yourself
To avoid becoming a victim of fraud:
- Do not click links or download attachments from suspicious emails.
- Verify any payment request directly with the City using contact information found on the official City website.
- Confirm that the sender’s email address ends in an official City domain.
- Contact City staff directly if you are unsure whether an email is legitimate.
What to Do if You Receive a Suspicious Email
If you receive a suspicious payment request related to planning or building permits:
- Do not respond to the email.
- Do not submit payment or provide personal or financial information.
- Contact the City of Campbell Community Development Department to verify the request.
- Report the scam to the Campbell Police Department for awareness and documentation.
- Consider reporting the scam to the Federal Trade Commission.
The City is actively monitoring reports of these fraudulent messages and encourages the public to remain vigilant. Sharing awareness can help protect others from becoming victims of this scam.