St. Johns County warns of wire transfer scam

St. Johns County is issuing an urgent warning to residents about an emerging wire transfer scam targeting customers interacting with the St. Johns County Growth Management Department. Multiple residents have reported receiving fraudulent instructions directing them to send wire transfers for permit fees, application costs or other Growth Management services.

These messages, often sent by email or text, appear to come from legitimate county addresses but are, in fact, fraudulent. Scammers may use spoofed email accounts, copied county branding or fake invoices to persuade residents to send money to unauthorized accounts.

St. Johns County never requires payment for permits, plans or application fees via wire transfer.

County officials urge residents to exercise extreme caution and take the following steps to protect themselves:

• Verify payment requests by contacting the Growth Management Department directly at 904-209-0675.

• Check sender email addresses carefully, as minor spelling variations or unusual domains are red flags.

• Do not click links or open attachments from unexpected messages relating to fees or permitting.

• Report suspicious communication immediately to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 904-824-8304.

St. Johns County is actively coordinating with the Sheriff’s Office to monitor the scam, track attempted fraud and prevent further incidents.

For verified information on permits, applications and approved payment methods, go to www.sjcfl.us/departments/growth-mgmt or contact the Growth Management Department directly at 904-209-0675.