KINGS MOUNTAIN, N.C. — The Kings Mountain Police Department is warning residents about a new email scam involving fake invoices.
The department says the messages appear to come from the city’s Planning Commission and request a payment of $3,500.
City officials reviewed the documents and confirmed the invoices are not legitimate. While the scam demands thousands of dollars, the city says typical fees associated with such city services are approximately $250.
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Police identified several red flags in the scam emails, including the excessive fee amount. The messages were also sent from a suspicious address rather than an official government account. The instructions also directed recipients to handle all correspondence by email and provided wire transfer payment instructions.
The City of Kings Mountain said it does not request payments through third-party email accounts or instruct citizens to send wire transfers like the scammers do. The department advised anyone who receives a similar email to avoid sending payments and sharing personal or financial information.
Investigators are currently working to track the origin of the scam.
Residents who believe they have received a fraudulent invoice are asked to contact the Kings Mountain Police Department at 704-734-0444.
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