(COLDWATER) - The City of Coldwater wants the public to know there is an e-mail scam that claims to be from the City.
In a posting on the City website, officials say this is the same scam they warned people about in December, regarding a phony planning and zoning wire transfer e-mail. But after finding out a local person was a victim and lost money, the City is reiterating that the scam is happening, and how people can spot it and avoid it.
When you first look at it, City officials say the fake e-mail does appear to be authentic. It uses the City of Coldwater logo, the name of Planning and Zoning Administrator Robert Hawley, and even the recipient's publicly available personal information, such as their phone number and address.
However, closer inspection reveals several clear red flags in the e-mail. They include: The "from" email address is not a Coldwater.org address and often appears as something like planning.cityname@usa.com. There is a request for a wire transfer, which the City of Coldwater never asks for. The beneficiary's name is listed as Robert Hawley, Coldwater, but Hawley is definitely not a beneficiary of City funds.
Additionally, the bank name and address are not local, but out of state. There is repeated use of the phrases "wire transfer" and "wire payment". The scam also mentions an invoice from the "City of Coldwater Planning Commission," which does not send invoices. There is also a due date listed as "Due Upon Receipt." All legitimate invoices include a specific due date.
Residents and businesses are urged to stay alert and carefully review any payment requests claiming to be from the City. If you are ever unsure whether an invoice or request is legitimate, contact the City of Coldwater at 517-279-9501 before taking any payment action.