Tega Cay officials issued an urgent alert Monday warning residents and business owners of a sophisticated email scam targeting individuals involved in local land use and property development.
The phishing scheme involves fraudulent emails appearing to be sent directly from the Tega Cay Development Services Director. The messages falsely claim that “emergency” or outstanding fees are required for annexation and rezoning applications.
According to city leaders, the scammers have increased the appearance of legitimacy by using official city logos, the names of actual staff members, and referencing specific property addresses—information often culled from public records.
“We want to ensure our community that the City of Tega Cay will never solicit payments through unofficial channels or demand immediate wire transfers,” city officials said in a statement released March 23.
Authorities highlighted several red flags associated with the scam, including requests for payment via cryptocurrency or peer-to-peer apps like Venmo and Zelle. Official city correspondence regarding development fees will always originate from a “@tegacaysc.gov” email domain and typically includes an itemized invoice that can be verified through the city’s established payment portal.
The Tega Cay alert mirrors a broader trend recently identified by federal law enforcement. On March 9, the FBI issued a nationwide bulletin regarding “Planning and Zoning” scams that utilize public permit data to target property owners.
Residents who receive suspicious emails are urged not to click on any links or open attachments. Instead, they should contact Tega Cay City Hall directly to verify the status of any pending applications or fees.
The Tega Cay Police Department is currently investigating the source of the emails and asks anyone who has lost funds to the scheme to file a formal report immediately.
