- Do not assume emails are legitimate based on the use of city or county letterhead, seals, names of officials, or proper spelling and grammar.
- Verify the email address, including the domain name, matches the email address of the official with whom you are corresponding and does not contain extraneous characters or misspellings. (The City of Kirkland’s domain name is kirklandwa.gov.)
- Check the city or county official website for notices about ongoing impersonation schemes.
- Call the city or county government, using the phone number listed on the official website, to verify outstanding fees.
Kirkland permit applicants have reported receiving fraudulent permit invoices. The FBI issued a warning about this type of phishing scheme in March 2026. The scammers impersonate city or county officials and fraudulently request fees associated with planning and zoning permits. Because the criminals behind the scheme use detailed, accurate information about planning and zoning requests, including property addresses, case numbers, and the real names of city or county officials, they can appear legitimate.
These tips from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) can help you protect yourself:
