PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- The Prince George County Police Department is warning residents of "sophisticated" fraudulent government impersonation scams. On Tuesday, April 14, police issued a community alert regarding what they describe as a "sophisticated phishing scam" targeting residents and business owners. According to police, fraudsters are impersonating county government officials, specifically from the Planning and Zoning departments, to "solicit fraudulent payments." Officials warn that recent investigations show that scammers are "scraping" public records to identify people with active building permits or planning applications. These individuals then contact the victims via "professional-sounding voicemails or highly voicing emails," police said. They attach fake invoices to mimic Prince George's branding. "These scams are designed to look and sound very real,” said Major Nicholas in a release. “They often include the names of actual staff members to create a false sense of legitimacy and urgency.” Police warn the public to watch out for these common indicators of these scams: Requests for non-traditional payment: The county will never ask for payment via Zelle, Venmo, PayPal, cryptocurrency or gift cards. High-pressure tactics: Scammers often threaten the immediate cancellation of permits or legal action if payment is not made instantly. Suspicious email addresses: While the emails may look official, the sender’s address often uses public domains (like @gmail.com) rather than the official @princegeorgecountyva.gov domain. Police urge residents that if they receive an unexpected invoice or payment request, to notuse the contact information provided in that message. If you believe you may have clicked the link or provided any personal information, you are urged to call the Prince George County Planning Department or the Treasurer’s Office directly. ...read more read less