Fraudulent Traffic and Parking Application Emails
At a glance
Based on auto-generated captions plus the posted agendas; names and details may be misheard.
- What: scam emails posing as the City of Worcester (one said the "planning commission") told petitioners with items before the Traffic and Parking Committee that their application was approved and demanded a $1,950 wire payment.
- Where it stands: the City Clerk's office said on 2026-08-19 the emails are fraudulent and are being investigated. A warning notice has since appeared on later agendas.
- Next: none announced. Anyone who gets such an email is asked to forward it to the clerk's office and not pay.
What was said
- A petitioner (4 Hartshorn Ave.) and Nathalie Gibson each said they got an email with the City emblem saying the application was approved but a fee was owed. Gibson said she received hers the day before and replied to ask why she would pay for a sign on a public street.
- The clerk's staff said the emails did not come from the City or its office and read a formal notice at the meeting.
- The notice: do not pay, do not respond, do not give personal or financial information, and contact your bank at once if you already paid.
The standing warning (later agendas)
- All official emails about a petition come only from an @worcesterma.gov address (for example the clerk's address) or by paper mail on City letterhead.
- A legitimate hearing letter includes the application details and the hearing date, time and location.
- The City never asks for payment by wire transfer.
- The scammers also request payments for planning and zoning permits and City Council petitions.
Discussion time
About 2 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-08-19 - Traffic and Parking Committee | 2 |
Log
- 2026-09-22 - City Council — Agenda carried the same scam notice.
- 2026-09-17 - Public Service and Transportation Committee — Agenda carried the scam notice.
- 2026-09-16 - Economic Development Committee — Agenda carried the scam notice.
- 2026-09-15 - Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee — Agenda carried the scam notice.
- 2026-08-31 - Traffic and Parking Committee — Agenda carried the scam notice.
- 2026-08-19 - Traffic and Parking Committee — Two petitioners reported the $1,950 payment emails; the clerk's office disavowed them twice during the meeting and read a notice.