Dane County Alerts Public to Scam Targeting Zoning Applicants

June 11, 2025
execmedia@danecounty.gov, (608) 800-1127
County Executive

MADISON— Dane County is alerting the public about a scam targeting individuals with pending zoning and land use applications before the county’s Zoning and Land Regulation (ZLR) Committee.

Earlier this week, several applicants and agents listed on the June 10th ZLR Committee agenda received fraudulent emails claiming to be from the “Dane County Planning Commission.” The scam emails came from an unofficial address—planning.danecounty@usa.com—and included fake invoices that appeared to request payment.

“This scam is a reminder that bad actors will go to great lengths to impersonate trusted institutions,” said Dane County Executive Melissa Agard. “Our team responded quickly, contacted those affected, and worked to prevent anyone from falling victim. We take this malicious activity seriously and are committed to protecting the public.”

Applicants listed on the June 10th meeting were immediately contacted and made aware of the scam. While there is currently no indication that applicants from previous meetings or other pending petitions were targeted, individuals on the upcoming June 24th ZLR Committee agenda have also been preemptively notified.

County Executive Agard praised the swift response of Dane County staff stating, “I want to thank our dedicated Planning and Development team and our Information Technology department for acting quickly and effectively. Their vigilance and coordination ensured that we got ahead of this situation and limited the potential for harm.”

The county’s IT Department has reported the scam to the Wisconsin Statewide Intelligence Center (WSIC), and a takedown notice is being initiated to disrupt the source of the fake emails.

Important Reminder: Official correspondence from Dane County will always come from an email ending in @danecounty.gov. If you receive a suspicious message related to a zoning or permit application, do not respond, do not make any payments, and delete the email immediately.