Warning Issued About 'Zoning/Public Hearing' Scam In Westport: Officials

WESTPORT, CT — The Westport Planning and Zoning Department has received information that there are scammers who are contacting residents regarding "fees" for zoning/public hearing applications, and are warning people not to fall for it.

"These individuals are falsely claiming that a public hearing fee must be paid directly to them in order for an application to proceed," Michelle Perillie, Planning and Zoning Director, said in a statement.

Perillie offered the following tips to help avoid being scammed:

• The Town of Westport will never request payment fees through phone calls, text messages, personal emails, or payment apps (such as Venmo, Zelle, or CashApp).
• All official fees are paid directly to the Town of Westport through established and secure payment methods.
• Scammers may use official-sounding titles, fake letterhead, or spoofed phone numbers to appear legitimate.

If you receive a suspicious request:

1. Do not provide personal or financial information.
2. Do not send payment.
3. Contact the Planning and Zoning Department immediately at 203 341-1030 to verify the legitimacy of any request.
4. Report the incident to the non-emergency line of the Westport Police Department at 203- 341-6000.

"Please share this information to help protect others from falling victim to these scams," Perillie said.