Scammers are sending fraudulent emails that impersonate Gahanna city staff and demand payment for planning, zoning and permit fees, the city warned in an alert posted Thursday, Oct. 15.
The fake messages may include real employee names, property addresses, application numbers and official-looking logos, according to the city. Scammers can obtain those details from public records, which means accurate information alone does not make a payment request legitimate.
The scheme is not unique to Gahanna. The city of Hilliard issued a similar warning about fraudulent invoices targeting people who applied for variances through its Planning Department, The Westerville News reported. In that case, scammers demanded payment by wire transfer before a case could be heard. Hilliard said it never asks for filing fees by wire transfer.
Gahanna urged residents and business owners to take several steps before paying any unexpected invoice:
- Call the appropriate city department using the phone number or email address listed on Gahanna.gov. Do not use a number or address supplied in the suspicious message.
- Do not click links, open unexpected attachments or follow payment instructions until the request is verified.
- Watch for messages that demand immediate payment or threaten to delay an application.
Anyone who already sent money should contact their bank or payment provider immediately. The city also directed victims to file a report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, known as IC3, at IC3.gov.
Impersonation was the most commonly reported fraud category reported to the Federal Trade Commission. Consumers reported nearly $3.5 billion in losses from imposter schemes in 2025, according to a federal rulemaking document published Oct. 1. The FTC received more than 1 million imposter reports in 2025.
