Maine Town Warns About Scammers Targeting Nearly All Building Permit Applicants

According to an article on the WMTW website, officials in the small Maine town of Raymond are warning residents about a scam that appears to be targeting people who have submitted applications to the town’s Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals.

According to a notice issued by the town, several residents and property owners have recently received invoices that look official but are completely fake.  The documents appear to come from the town’s planning and zoning office and list detailed charges, making them seem legitimate at first glance.

One example shared with reporters showed a bill totaling $3,500.  The charges included fees for application review and processing, zoning and compliance assessments, legal and administrative costs, and public notification and documentation.  The invoice also included an invoice number but did not reference a specific application number, which officials say is a major red flag.  The email instructed recipients to reply in order to receive wire transfer details for payment.

Raymond Code Enforcement Officer Jason Williamson said the town has been contacted by four people in recent months who had legitimately submitted applications and later received the suspicious invoices.  He also said that much of the information used to create the convincing documents is publicly available, making it easier for scammers to imitate official communications.

Town officials say all legitimate invoices will reference a specific application number, come directly from the planning and zoning administrator, and will always request payment by check made out to the Town of Raymond rather than a wire transfer.

Anyone who receives a suspicious invoice is encouraged to contact the Raymond Town Office, the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, or the Maine Attorney General Consumer Protection Division.