Property owners applying for Kalamazoo Historic District Commission approval are getting fake invoices, some as high as several thousand dollars, that mimic official city billing.
Staff told commissioners at the September 2 meeting that this is at least the third or fourth case they’re aware of. The fraudulent invoices use city logos and staff names, and itemize fake charges for things like “planning and zoning review,” “engineering review,” and “legal review” that can add up to thousands of dollars. In at least one case, a property owner said the invoice requested payment by wire transfer.
City staff said the invoices are built using publicly available application records, and confirmed the actual review fee for a Historic District Commission hearing is $85, not more, regardless of what any invoice claims. Property owners who receive a suspicious invoice are encouraged to contact the Historic Preservation Coordinator’s office directly before paying anything.
