La Plata County Warns of Fake Planning Permit Invoice Scam

La Plata County Community Development Department is alerting residents to an email scam targeting people applying for land use and building permits across Colorado.

Scammers send fraudulent invoices from fake email addresses mimicking legitimate government accounts. More than 12 city and county planning departments statewide have reported cases. In one instance, emails came from [email protected], demanding approximately $4,000 for fake "application review and approval fees" and threatening to delay permits without immediate payment.

La Plata County has not received local reports but urges residents to verify any invoice by contacting the Community Development Department directly. County staff use individual email addresses formatted as [email protected]—for example, [email protected]—not generic accounts.

To verify a suspicious payment request, contact [email protected], [email protected], or call (970) 382-6263.