The City of Delray Beach has identified a fraudulent email scam targeting customers of our Development Services Department. These emails impersonate City staff and falsely claim to be related to development applications scheduled for upcoming board agendas. They request wire transfer payments in order to advance an application or appear on a Planning and Zoning agenda.
One recent example references a specific property and a fabricated approval process. These emails are not from the City of Delray Beach and are being used by online criminals in an attempt to steal money from customers.
How to Identify the Scam:
- The email uses the wrong board name: There is no “Planning and Zoning Commission.” The correct name is the Planning and Zoning Board.
- The email signature does not match the email signatures used by the city.
- Although the email appears to be sent from a city staff member, the sender's email address is not legitimate. Official city communications will come from an @mydelraybeach.com address, never from domains like @usa.com.
- The email asks for payment by wire transfer, which the City of Delray Beach will never do.
What You Should Know:
- City staff will never ask you to wire or Venmo money
If you receive an unexpected or suspicious message related to a project:
- Do not respond, click the links, or open any attachments
- Contact your Development Services Planner at (561) 243-7040 or via their direct phone number or email address.
What the City is Doing:
- Our IT and Legal teams are actively investigating the scam and working with law enforcement.
- We are alerting affected customers and reinforcing protective measures across all departments.
- We are monitoring for similar activity and implementing safeguards to protect the public.
If you have questions or need to verify any communication, please contact the Development Services Department directly at (561) 243-7040 or email pzmail@mydelraybeach.com
