LAS CRUCES – Doña Ana County is warning residents to be on the lookout for fraudulent emails from scammers posing as County employees and requesting payment for permits, fines or other fees.
County officials say the emails appear to come from individuals claiming to work in the Community Development Department and may even use the names of actual County employees to appear legitimate.
Officials say some of the fraudulent emails are being sent from a “usa.com” email address instead of an official County email account.
Residents are urged to carefully verify the sender’s email address before responding. Following the County’s recent transition to @donaana.gov, legitimate County emails will come from either @donaana.gov or @donaanacounty.org. Emails claiming to represent Doña Ana County that originate from any other domain should be treated with caution and verified before any action is taken.
County officials also recommend that residents:
- Be cautious of demands for immediate payment.
- Never provide passwords, Social Security numbers or banking information in response to unsolicited emails. County representatives will never request personal information this way.
- Avoid clicking on suspicious links or opening unexpected attachments.
- Contact the appropriate County department using the phone number listed on the County’s official website if they are unsure whether an email is legitimate.
- Save suspicious emails, report them to local law enforcement and contact their financial institution immediately if they have already made a payment.
Residents can also visit Doña Ana County’s Cybersecurity & Online Safety webpage for additional information on recognizing scams, protecting themselves from fraud and identity theft, and reporting suspected fraud.
Bravo Mic Communications – news@bravomic.com
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