An old scam is spreading again in the Iowa City area, the city warned residents on Tuesday. Scammers are sending authentic-looking emails that appear to be from city employees trying to collect fees or payments for city services, according to a news release.
In a recent incident, a resident received an email containing what appeared to be a legitimate invoice displaying the City’s logo. The message included vague payment language such as “ACH transfer instructions provided upon request” and directed the recipient to reply to the email for additional details. The message concluded with a request for prompt payment, a common tactic used in scams.
An actual city employee will never request “bank account information, login credentials, or Social Security numbers, or demand wire transfers or other untraceable forms of payment,” the news release explains.
Anyone who gets one of these emails is advised to not respond to it, and instead contact the city at 319-356-5000, or call the Iowa City Police Department at 319-356-6800.
