Community Development Agency Warns Permit Applicants of Phishing Scam

Marin County, CA – The Marin County Community Development Agency is warning planning and building permit applicants about a phishing scam involving fake emails that request payment for permit-related fees. CDA has received reports that applicants are receiving emails that appear to come from Community Development Agency Director Sarah Jones. The emails state that the applicant owes an administrative fee and include an invoice attachment. 

The emails are fake and were not sent by CDA. Permit applicants should be aware that CDA only requests permit payments through official channels, including ProjectDox notifications, county website application prompts, Permit Fee Payment forms, or personal check by mail or drop-off. CDA will never request payment by wire transfer, Zelle, Venmo, PayPal or other payment apps. 

“Permit applicants should feel confident that payment requests from CDA are legitimate, secure and tied to official county processes,” CDA Director Sarah Jones said. “Scams like this are designed to look credible by misusing public-facing permit information and the names of local officials. CDA takes that seriously because it can create confusion, delay projects and put applicants at risk of financial loss.” 

Permit applicants should: 

• Check the sender’s full email address, not just the display name.
• Be cautious of invoices or urgent payment demands sent by email.
• Avoid clicking links or opening attachments from suspicious messages.
• Verify payment requests directly with CDA before sending money.
• Never send permit payments through wire transfer or payment apps. 

Applicants who receive a suspicious email, invoice or payment request should contact the CDA Permit Ombudsperson to verify before sending payment.

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