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Applicant reports phishing email asking for $4,000; city staff say they are investigating
Summary
An applicant for a Timberstone Common sign reported receiving emails with a forged signature asking for about $4,000 to permit the work; city staff said the request was not from the city, removed the packet from the website, and involved IT and legal in an investigation.
An applicant appearing before the Sylvania Municipal Planning Commission reported receiving what he said were fraudulent emails requesting a wire transfer for a permit fee, and city staff said they were investigating.
Ryan Wishaw, who applied for a sign at Timberstone Common, told the board he "received two emails that had Joe Shaw's signature on them requesting that I wire about $4,000 for the permit for this on Sennsylvania letterhead." Wishaw said he forwarded the emails to city staff for verification.
Tim Burns, the city zoning administrator, told meeting participants the city would never send an unsolicited request for money by email. "You would never get a request from the city for money in a message like that," Burns said, and staff described steps taken that evening: removing the packet from the city website, temporarily disabling certain access, and involving the IT department and legal staff to trace the source.
Staff also said the meeting's Zoom link and posted packet had been affected and that the city is working to restore secure access. Commissioners urged vigilance: do not click suspicious links and report unusual requests to city staff. The transcript records Burns saying the city had removed the packet from its website and was "fully addressing" the issue; staff asked applicants and frequent attendees to call if they see suspicious messages.
The meeting record does not identify who (if anyone) sent the fraudulent emails or whether the forgeries used the real Joe Shaw's name intentionally; the city said it will follow up with affected parties and investigate through IT and legal channels. The applicant said he would forward the received documents to staff for their review.
