Scammers are posing as Madison County, Florida, zoning staff and demanding money by call, text and email. The county says real staff never do that.
Madison County, Florida, warned on Oct. 22 that scammers are pretending to be employees of its Planning and Zoning Department. They threaten property owners with fines, liens and legal action, then demand quick payment. Some of the emails use the name of a real county employee, which makes them look more believable.
The county says it has received reports of people falsely claiming to represent the department. They contact residents, property owners and permit applicants by phone, text and email. The messages may say a property has one of these problems:
Some scammers also ask for personal or banking details, saying they are needed to process a permit, a variance or a rezoning application.
The county named one specific trick. An email appears to come from Shelley Hoschar in the Planning and Zoning Department. It says documents were uploaded to Adobe Acrobat because they are too large to attach. It then tells the reader to click a "View Document" link. The county says the message is fraudulent and that the people behind it are not authorized government employees or agents.
The payment method is the biggest giveaway. Scammers ask for wire transfers, gift cards, prepaid debit cards, cryptocurrency and mobile payment apps. The county says its staff will never demand payment by phone, text or email under threat of penalties. It also will not require gift cards, crypto, wire transfers or third-party payment apps.
Real zoning violation notices come in writing. They give the owner a chance to respond under county rules and Florida law. Real fees are paid directly to Madison County at 229 SW Pinckney St. in Madison, and the county gives an official receipt. Money sent to a scammer does not settle any real fee, permit, fine or account.
The steps are in the alert box above. The key idea is simple: do not reply, do not click, and check with the office yourself. Beyond the county and local law enforcement, the Florida Attorney General's Consumer Protection Hotline is 1-866-966-7226. Reports can also be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
The county has not said how many people were targeted, whether anyone lost money or whether suspects have been identified. The alert stays in effect until further notice. Anyone who has not received a message like this has nothing to fix. The same pressure tactics can show up with any agency, so the habit is worth keeping: a threat plus a demand for fast payment is a reason to stop and verify.
If a message threatens you over a property fee, skip the link and call the office yourself at a number you trust.
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