RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Pennington County Planning and Zoning Department is alerting residents to be cautious of fraudulent emails impersonating the department.
Reports indicate that several residents in Rapid City and the Black Hills area have received spam emails with fake invoices and requests for payment for various services. These emails are not legitimate and should be deleted immediately.
“We want to assure the public that our department does not send invoices via email following commission meetings,” said Brittney Molitor, Director of Planning and Zoning. “Most of our payment transactions occur in person at our office, so if you receive an email asking for payment, it’s likely a scam.”
The Pennington County Information Technology team has identified the emails as fraudulent and is collaborating with the Sheriff’s Office to investigate the source. County officials are working to protect residents from these types of cybersecurity threats in South Dakota.
Citizens who receive an email claiming to be from the Planning and Zoning Department with an invoice or suspicious content are advised to delete the message or contact the department directly at 605-394-2186 to verify its authenticity.