Gulf Shores officials say scammers are sending fake city invoices and posing as police on the phone. One resident has already lost $4,000.
Police and the City of Gulf Shores, Alabama, are warning that scammers are targeting the community right now. One scheme uses emails that look like official city invoices. Another uses phone calls from people pretending to be police officers. At least one resident has already lost money, and officials say $4,000 was taken in the invoice scam.
People who filed Planning Commission applications have received emails claiming they owe an "approval fee." The emails use correct names, city details and references to the services the person actually requested. Some include a made-up invoice with detailed charges. That is what makes them hard to spot. Officials say this scam is happening across the country, not just in Gulf Shores.
The second scheme targets businesses. Callers claim to represent the Gulf Shores Police Department and offer paid sponsorships or ads on a calendar. The department says it is not running any fundraising or advertising campaign like that.
The invoice emails are aimed at residents who submitted Planning Commission applications. The calendar calls are aimed at local business owners and their employees. Officials say these two examples may not be the only scams in the area, so anyone in town should stay cautious.
Officials also say that no real agency or company will ever ask anyone to package cash, use a crypto ATM, or hand money to a courier. If a request like that comes up, it is a scam.
The City of Gulf Shores says it will never ask for payment by email or wire transfer for any service. A emailed invoice or wire request that claims to come from the Planning Department should be treated as fake until the city confirms otherwise. The key is to confirm using a phone number you trust, not details in the message itself.
The alert box above lists the steps. The short version: do not pay, hang up on the calendar callers, and check anything odd by phone. Officials also ask people to pass the warning to employees and neighbors.
Officials said three scams are circulating. The report describes two in detail and does not spell out the third. It also does not say how many people have been targeted or how scammers got details about the planning applications.
If a message or call claims to be from the city or police and asks for money, stop and verify it by phone at (251) 968-2425 before paying.
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