Charles County Government is warning residents and businesses about a scam involving fraudulent emails falsely claiming to be from the Department of Planning and Growth Management.
According to county officials, the emails instruct recipients to submit payments through wire transfer for supposed fees or outstanding invoices. Officials emphasized that Charles County Government never requests payment by wire transfer under any circumstances.
The county stated that while legitimate email notifications may occasionally be sent regarding permits or invoices, all official payments are made exclusively through the County’s Citizen Self-Service (CSS) portal, and only by using a valid permit or application number. Any message requesting wire transfers, banking details, or urgent payment outside of the CSS portal should be considered fraudulent.
Residents who receive suspicious emails are advised not to respond, not to click any links, and not to provide personal or financial information or send any form of payment.
Anyone uncertain about the legitimacy of a message is urged to contact the Department of Planning and Growth Management directly before taking action. The department can be reached by email at [email protected]
or by phone at 301-645-0692, ext. 2902.
County officials say they are actively working to raise awareness about the scam and are encouraging residents and local businesses to remain vigilant and share the warning with others.
More information about official county payments, permits, and communications is available on the Charles County Government website at www.charlescountymd.gov
