CONWAY, SC — Horry County officials have issued a public fraud alert warning property owners, real estate developers, agents, and local residents about deceptive emails impersonating county Planning and Zoning personnel to solicit fake application fees.
The warning follows a recent incident in which an agent representing an applicant in an active rezoning case received a fraudulent message appearing to come from an official county planner. According to county officials, the email referenced accurate public case details and included a fabricated invoice demanding an immediate “approval fee” via wire transfer. The recipient identified the message as a scam and alerted the county before any funds were transferred.
The scheme aligns with a broader nationwide trend highlighted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in March 2026, in which scammers harvest publicly accessible municipal records and staff directories to craft convincing, targeted payment demands.
County officials emphasize that Horry County never requests permit or application fees by wire transfer through email. Residents and applicants are urged to watch for common red flags, including sender addresses that mimic the county name without using the official @horrycountysc.govdomain, demands for payment through wire transfers, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or peer-to-peer payment apps, and urgent threats that a hearing or application will be delayed unless paid immediately. Scammers also frequently instruct recipients to communicate exclusively via email or claim payment instructions will only be sent after a reply.
Anyone who receives a questionable invoice or fee demand should avoid replying, opening attachments, or clicking embedded links. Instead, recipients should independently verify the request by calling Horry County Planning and Zoning directly at 843-915-5340, using only verified contact numbers published on the official county website rather than details provided inside the suspicious message.
Individuals who have already transferred money in response to a fraudulent invoice should notify their financial institution immediately to attempt a wire recall or stop payment, and subsequently report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov
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