The DC Office of Zoning (DCOZ) has received reports of fraudulent emails impersonating our agency. These scam messages falsely claim to be from our agency and include fraudulent requests for payment of fees. Recipients have reported receiving unsolicited emails containing their application details, zoning case numbers, and property information. These messages instruct applicants to pay fees via wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or peer‑to‑peer payment platforms and may contain deceptive links, requests for personal or payment information, or attachments that could compromise your security.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a nationwide public service announcement warning that criminals are impersonating local government planning and zoning officials across the United States to solicit fraudulent payments. According to the FBI, these schemes often leverage publicly available permit information to make scam emails appear legitimate. View FBI Public Service Announcement – Emerging Phishing Scheme Involving Planning and Zoning Permits: https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2026/PSA260309.
Please be advised that official communications from DCOZ will always come from a verified .dc.gov email address. The reported phishing emails did not come from a .dc.gov email. Additionally, DCOZ will never ask for the payment of fees through a bank wire.
If you receive a suspicious message:
- Verify the entire email address, including the domain name (the part of the email address that comes after the @ symbol).
- Do not click on any links or download attachments.
- Do not respond to the sender.
- Report the message to your IT department or cybersecurity contact immediately, if you have one.
If you ever have questions about the legitimacy of an email you receive, please contact DCOZ directly. For questions or concerns, please contact us at [email protected] or 202-727-6311.