If you recently received an email from “City of Belleview Planning Commission” asking for thousands of dollars wired immediately, you’re not suddenly on a fast track to municipal approval. You’ve likely been the target of a scam.
A fraudulent email circulating locally is impersonating Belleview city officials, complete with formal language, official-sounding titles, and even a polished invoice demanding payment. In one example reviewed by the Voice, the sender used a suspicious email address — planning.belleviewfl@usa.com — while claiming to represent the city.
The message congratulates the recipient on a supposed application approval, then pivots quickly to the real goal: payment. Victims are instructed to request wire transfer instructions and submit confirmation receipts to “finalize” the process.
Attached to the email is a detailed invoice totaling $4,996, broken down into official-sounding charges like “Application Review & Compliance Processing Fee” and “Grease Trap Regulation Assessment.” The document carries the City of Belleview name, address, and even lists the mayor as the issuing authority, giving it just enough polish to pass a quick glance.
It’s all fake.
The red flags are all there. The email domain does not match any official government address. The payment method is a wire transfer, a favorite tool for scammers because once the money is gone, it’s gone.
