Scammers target Casper with fake invoices from planning and zoning

CASPER, Wyo. — Anyone doing business with the City of Casper Planning and Zoning Commission should be on the lookout for a fraudulent invoice scam, the Casper Police Department said in a release on Thursday.

One indication that an invoice is fraudulent is the request for a wire transfer as the payment method.

“The City of Casper and its departments do not accept wire transfers as a payment method for any services, permits, or fees,” said Amber Jividen, supervisor of city code enforcement.

“If you receive an email requesting payment through a wire transfer, do not respond and do not click links,” Casper Interim Police Chief Shane Chaney said.

The Federal Trade Commission said nearly 3,600 cases of fraud were reported in Wyoming in 2024, with over $20.1 million in losses, according to the release.

Instead, suspicious messages should be reported to reportphishing@apwg.org and the FTC. “Additionally, citizens can call the non-emergency phone number to verify information at 307-235-8278,” the CPD said.