Johnston County Issues Warning After Scam Email Targets Developer With Fake Fee Invoice

Johnston County Government issued a warning Monday after a scam artist targeted an engineer. The engineer worked with a developer and received a fraudulent email that appeared to come from the Johnston County Planning Board. It contained an invoice.

The invoice demanded payment for an "Application Review and Approval Fee" tied to a development project. The email appeared legitimate at first glance.

County logos decorated the message. It listed a county address and referenced a specific project site.

"We are pleased to inform you that staff have completed their technical evaluation of the proposed … single-family residential subdivision and have recommended approval based on the submitted materials," the email read, per The Johnston County Report.

The engineer knew the county had already approved the subdivision seven days earlier. He contacted the Johnston County Government and reported what happened.

The peculiar instructions given by the scam artist helped reveal that the email was fraudulent. One instruction, to communicate directly by email, is not a standard procedure used by the Planning and Zoning department. The email originated from a non-government domain that ended in @usa.com, when all legitimate emails come from JohnstonNC.gov. Also, the county never accepts payment through wire transfer, Paypal or Venmo.

County officials urge all residents and businesses to remain vigilant. Anyone who receives a questionable email should verify payment requests before transferring funds. Johnston County Planning and Zoning accepts inquiries at 919-989-5150.