Charleston Issues Alert Regarding Fraudulent Planning Invoices

Charleston, WV – The City of Charleston Planning Department is alerting residents and local business owners to an ongoing scam involving fraudulent payment requests. Officials stated that scammers are targeting individuals applying for variances, utilizing publicly available online information to send invoices that appear official but are entirely illegitimate.

According to the department, these fraudulent notices claim that a payment must be made before a case can be heard, specifically instructing the applicant to send money via wire transfer. The City of Charleston emphasized that it will never request a filing fee through a wire transfer.

While legitimate filing fees are $125 and may be paid online following official instructions, the city does not send invoices demanding payment by wire. Anyone who receives a suspicious invoice or email related to a Planning Department application is urged not to send money and to contact the Planning Department directly at 304-348-6833 to verify the request.

The City is asking the community to share this information, particularly with those who have a variance or other matters currently pending before the Planning Department. Protecting against these scams is essential for maintaining the integrity of the public hearing process.

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