Bradenton Warns Residents of Fake Permit Payment Emails

The City of Bradenton is warning residents and businesses about a new email scam targeting permit applicants. Fraudulent emails, disguised as official invoices, are being sent to individuals with claims that extra payments are required for permitting services. These messages request payment through wire transfers, a red flag for fraudulent activity.

City officials stress that Bradenton will never request permit payments through email or wire transfers. All legitimate invoices must be paid directly through Accela, the city’s official permitting software, once an applicant is signed into the secure portal.

The fake emails often appear to come from a sender labeled as the “City of Bradenton Planning Commission” using the suspicious address planning.cityofbradentonfl@usa.com. Other red flags include unusual fonts, washed-out logos, and instructions to communicate only through email.

Residents are urged not to send money if they receive these emails. Instead, they should contact the City’s Planning & Community Development Department directly to verify the legitimacy of any invoice.

For more details and official updates, visit www.cityofbradenton.com/news.