Phishing scam under investigation in Pensacola — what to know

PENSACOLA, Fla. ( WKRG ) — Pensacola officials want residents to know about a recent email scam.

According to a news release from the city, phishing emails are being sent to residents requesting payment on an attached invoice. Officials said the scam targets people who have used city services to submit applications for zoning changes.

According to the release, the email is not from the City of Pensacola Planning and Zoning Division and has an address ending with @usa.com.

Pensacola officials said to look for red flags, be skeptical, and verify suspicious emails.

Signs of phishing emails can include suspicious sender addresses, spoofed weblinks, suspicious attachments, threats or a false sense of urgency, according to the city.

The city said phishing emails could request sensitive information, urgent action, or contain unexpected attachments — which should not be opened.

Verifying an email is as simple as contacting an organization through known official channels.

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