ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. — A scam is targeting homeowners trying to make legitimate improvements.

Both the City of Atlantic Beach and City of St. Augustine are sounding the alarm, warning residents about fraud tied to permits.

“The email began with ‘I hope you’re doing well,'” mentioned Atlantic Beach Deputy City Manager Kevin Hogencamp. “Which is, for some of us, instantly a red flag.”

Hogencamp says that greeting was just the first of many red flags in an email claiming to be from the city’s planning commission.

The email told the recipient their permit request was approved but required a landscaping fee, then went on to include wire transfer instructions.

“One of our very observant residents who had obtained a permit from us, felt something was off,” explained Hogencamp. “He immediately thought, ‘Something seems suspicious here.’ He reached out to us and we confirmed, ‘Oh, that’s not from us.'”

Hogencamp says the concerning thing about this scam is just how targeted it is.

“It’s a sophisticated scam where someone or something sifted through public records and knew a permit had been pulled,” said Hogencamp. “It was tailored to his specific project.”

The City of St. Augustine shared a similar scam that St. Augustine Police are investigating, which told people they owe money for unpaid permits while requesting a wire transfer.

“We, nor any other city, does business that way,” said Hogencamp. “We’d never ask for any payment through an email.”

Both cities are reminding folks permit payments are handled in person or through the online portal, and you can always reach out to the city directly to check a permit status.

“The police department is investigating with the effort to determine who did this,” said Hogencamp.

Hogencamp reiterated that the city will never ask for a wire transfer.

The City of Atlantic Beach shared the following tips to stay safe and report any phishing emails:

1. Verify the Sender: Always double-check the email address. Scammers use tricky fakes!

2. Look for Red Flags: Urgent requests for wire transfers or threats of project delays are big warning signs.

3. Confirm Directly: If an email seems suspicious (if you have any doubt at all about its authenticity), don’t click links or reply! Contact the City at (904) 247-5800 or email info@coab.us.

If you’re targeted:

1. DO NOT pay or share personal info.

2. Delete the email immediately.

3. Notify your local law enforcement agency; the Atlantic Beach Police Department’s non-emergency telephone number is (904) 247-5859.

4. Forward the scam email to info@coab.us so we can track it.