East Lansing Residents Warned of Fake Invoice Scam

The City of East Lansing is warning residents about an email scam attempting to trick them into paying fake invoices. East Lansing Info obtained a copy of a fraudulent invoice sent to a resident and spoke with City Manager Robert Belleman about the attempted scam.

The email was sent to a homeowner with an application before the city’s Historic District Commission, requesting a $4,800 payment for “processing and review” fees.

Applications considered by the city’s commissions are part of the public record, meaning a scammer could find addresses, phone numbers and email addresses associated with applications.

The scam message appeared to come from the East Lansing Planning Department but actually originated from an @usa.com email address, a press release the city sent about the scam explains.

The homeowner who received the email forwarded it to Belleman, City Council, and other city officials, calling the scam “especially concerning for elderly homeowners.”

In response, the city advised residents to exercise caution when responding to emails claiming to be from local government. Officials recommend verifying the sender’s email address, to avoid clicking on suspicious attachments and being wary of unusual payment instructions.

“The City will NEVER ask you to wire money,” the city’s press release states. “Payments are made online through official City portals, by mail, or in person.”

Residents are encouraged to confirm any communication or payment request by calling the city directly at 517-337-1731.

The scam comes months after residents received messages notifying them that they may be eligible to receive a payment from the Lansing Board of Water and Light franchise fee settlement. This communication that was legitimate but many residents believed was a scam because of the format it was sent.