Welcome to Renovation Defenders^™

This week's scam targets people who are working on home construction projects. You receive an email that claims you must pay a permit fee immediately to avoid delays with your project. The email looks real and may even include a case number or your home address. It instructs you to pay the permit fee immediately via wire transfer, payment apps such as Venmo or Zelle, or cryptocurrency. But you don't actually owe any money, because this email is a scam! Scammers use public information, like your address and the names of local officials, to make their fake emails look real. Because the email arrives while you are working on a real home project, it is easy to think it is legitimate. If you follow the payment instructions, you are giving your money directly to the scammers!