Scammers Target Business Owners Going Before Local Boards
The City of Waltham is urging residents and developers to stay vigilant against a new, sophisticated AI-driven email scam targeting individuals with active business before local government boards. In this scheme, scammers use artificial intelligence to scrape public meeting agendas, case numbers, and contact information to send highly authentic-looking emails, complete with official town seals, demanding immediate payment to finalize project approvals or permits.
Some Red Flags to Look Out For:
- Demands for Wire Transfers or Cryptocurrency: The City of Waltham does not conduct business via Bitcoin/cryptocurrency and will never ask for wire transfers to process standard applications.
- Suspicious Senders: Check the sender’s actual email address, not just the display name. Scammers often use non-government domains or lookalike suffixes (such as @waltham.com or @://usa.com).
- Urgency and High-Pressure Tactics: Sentences warning that a project “cannot proceed” or will face strict delays unless an immediate invoice is paid are common psychological pressure points used by criminals.
- Hyper-Specific Public Details: Because AI programs can scavenge massive amounts of data instantly, emails may include your exact case number, map location, lot number, or engineering partner to look authentic.
- Requests to Avoid Standard Payment Channels: Be highly suspicious if the sender explicitly claims that cash or physical checks are “not accepted for this type of application fee.”
- Unsolicited Links or Attachments: Never directly reply or click on links or open invoices attached to unexpected emails, as they can lead to credential phishing or malware. The City of Waltham does not send online invoices via email. All legitimate fees are paid at the time of application submission and/or by the official online payment links posted to our city website.
- Communication via Text Messaging: City staff do not correspond with applicants via text message.
- Requests for Payment to Appear at a Public Meeting: The City of Waltham will never ask for payment to appear at meetings.
If you receive an unexpected invoice or payment request, the city urges you to contact the specific city department or board/committee. Call them directly to verify the request before sending any funds.