Yates County officials are warning residents about a scam targeting people with active applications before local planning boards, after similar incidents were reported in neighboring counties.
According to a public notice shared by the Penn Yan Police Department, scammers are sending fraudulent emails that appear to come from county planning officials and request wire transfers related to planning board reviews.
Officials said the emails are not legitimate and are not being sent by Yates County. The messages falsely claim that applicants must submit payment as part of the county planning review process. County officials emphasized that the Yates County Planning Board does not issue invoices directly to applicants and never requests wire transfers.
Residents are being urged to verify email addresses carefully. Officials said legitimate county emails end with “@yatescountyny.gov” and warned that messages from any other domain should be treated with suspicion.
Anyone who receives a payment request related to a planning application is advised not to respond or send money. County officials are encouraging residents to report suspicious emails to local law enforcement and share the warning with others involved in planning or development projects throughout Yates County.
Penn Yan residents who believe they may have been victimized by the scam can contact the Penn Yan Police Department at 315-536-4426.
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