Gilmer County Warns Planning Applicants in Ellijay About Payment Scam

Gilmer County is warning people listed on upcoming Planning & Zoning and related public meeting calendars about fraudulent emails that appear to come from county government and request payment.

The warning, posted on the county website and still available August 4, 2026, says the messages may include invoices, payment links or attachments that could infect a computer with malware. The apparent targets include applicants, property owners and businesses with active land-use matters connected to the county office in Ellijay.

County says the emails are not legitimate

Gilmer County Planning & Zoning says the messages use addresses designed to resemble official county government accounts but are not sent by the department. The county advises recipients not to reply, click links, open attachments or send money.

The county says Planning & Zoning never sends a payment link. Payments are made in person before an applicant is added to the meeting calendar, and the department will not request additional money from someone already listed on the calendar.

That means a payment request arriving after an applicant appears on a meeting calendar conflicts with the process described by the county.

How to verify a request

Gilmer County Planning & Zoning is at 1 Broad Street, Suite 002, in Ellijay. The county lists 706-635-3406 for the office. The same county directory lists 706-635-3405 as a fax number. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

People who receive an unexpected planning or zoning payment message should independently call the office using the number published on the official county website. They should also inspect the sender’s complete email domain rather than relying on a familiar name, county seal, logo or property detail.

A professional-looking invoice or accurate information about a project does not establish that an email is authentic. Do not open attachments or click links in an unexpected payment message until the request has been verified through an official phone number.

FBI describes a nationwide scheme

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center issued a public service announcement on March 9, 2026, describing a nationwide phishing scheme involving city and county planning and zoning permits.

According to the FBI, criminals use publicly available permit information, zoning application numbers, property addresses and the names of government officials to make fraudulent messages appear credible. The emails may use professional formatting, official-looking imagery and urgent claims that payment is needed to avoid delays. The FBI says requested payments may involve wire transfers, peer-to-peer services or cryptocurrency.

The federal alert advises recipients to verify the sender’s domain and call the relevant government office using a number from its official website. It recommends reporting suspected fraud or losses to the Internet Crime Complaint Center and preserving details such as the sender’s address, the date of the message, the requested amount, the payment method, any listed bank information and related project details.

What remains unknown

No public Gilmer County source reviewed for this report confirms that a local applicant lost money, disclosed financial information or became a victim. The county warning also does not establish that a local criminal investigation is underway. The Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office website reviewed for this report had no matching public notice.

Anyone who paid or shared financial information should preserve the original message and related records, contact the relevant financial institution and report the suspected fraud to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center and local law enforcement.

Sources

• Gilmer County official homepage and scam alert
• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center planning-and-zoning phishing alert