(Brooksville, FL) – The Hernando County Development Services Department is alerting businesses, contractors, and residents about a recent scam involving fraudulent emails and phone calls requesting payments and signatures for fake invoices.

Several contractors, businesses, and residents have reported receiving emails and calls from individuals impersonating Development Services staff. These fraudulent communications direct recipients to click on malicious links, provide credit card information to pay large invoices, or sign fake invoice documents.

Hernando County urges the public to remain vigilant and avoid responding to these fraudulent messages. The Hernando County Development Services Department conducts official permitting services, electronic signatures, and payments only through the County's official Civic Access portal at www.HernandoCounty.us/CivicAccess.

Anyone who receives a suspicious email or phone call requesting signatures or payments related to Development Services should report the incident by contacting the Hernando County Development Services Department at (352) 754-4057 immediately. If you or someone you know has fallen victim to this impersonation scam, file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov. Be sure to include any available information including:

• • The email address, date of email, and phone number, if provided.
  • The amount listed in the fraudulent invoice, the requested payment method, and bank account information, if applicable.

Hernando County Government also encourages the public to review the attached FBI and Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) Operational Cyber Analytic Report (OCAR) regarding nationwide planning and zoning impersonation scams for additional information and guidance.

For questions or more information, please contact
Hernando County Development Services at (352) 754-4057.

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