Milwaukee South News

The Village of Hales Corners has issued a warning regarding a fraudulent email scam that is targeting individuals and businesses by falsely claiming to be from the Planning Commission. These deceptive emails originate from addresses such as [email protected] or similar public email services, which are not legitimate Village email addresses.

The scam involves emails that include a fake invoice attachment requesting wire transfer payments, a form of payment not accepted by the Village. The invoices misleadingly use the Village of Hales Corners address but contain typographical errors. Despite appearing official, these emails have no formal association with the Village. The intention behind these emails is to induce panic and prompt a quick response.

"The Village of Hales Corners will never ask for payment via wire transfer, credit card or ACH," officials emphasized. Recipients of such requests should immediately disregard them.

Village staff and officials are addressing this issue seriously and advise applicants to verify any application fees' legitimacy by:

- Reviewing the sender’s email address carefully; official emails end with @halescorners.org.

- Avoiding responses to emails requesting payment via wire transfer, credit card, or ACH.

- Directly contacting the Village at 414-529-6161 to verify invoices or communications.

- Obtaining an official fee schedule through direct contact or visiting their website.

Victims who have sent money or suspect they have been scammed should contact the Hales Corners Police Department at 414-529-6140. For any suspicious emails regarding planning, zoning, or building-related applications, recipients should reach out to the Village Hall at 414-529-6161.

The community's cooperation in preventing predatory scams is appreciated by village officials.