ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) — Residents of St. Pete Beach are being alerted by city officials about a scam aimed at individuals applying for zoning or planning approvals. This fraudulent activity seeks to extort money from unsuspecting applicants.

In a recent case, a local business owner who applied for a permit to add a balcony to their restaurant fell victim to this scam. Thankfully, they identified the suspicious email and reported it to the authorities.