Rochester Residents Targeted by Sophisticated Property Scam

Scammers are once again targeting local residents. This time it is in Rochester, Massachusetts, where fake emails designed to look like legitimate invoices from the town are faking people out.

Over the past several years, scam efforts have ramped up across the country, and they’re showing no signs of slowing. Experts say that as artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated, so do the tactics used by criminals to deceive unsuspecting victims.

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While many assume these types of scams only affect major cities like Boston, New York or Los Angeles, small towns are being hit just as hard. Rochester is now on alert after multiple reports of fraudulent emails requesting fake application fee payments for property development.

What the Rochester Scam Emails Look Like

According to an official alert issued by the town, the scam emails typically contain subject lines such as:

"Settlement of Invoice for Application Review [Property] Development"

The messages include detailed, professional-sounding language and instructions for wiring money to allegedly settle planning or zoning fees.

But the town is making it clear:

“These emails and invoices are NOT from the Town of Rochester.”

They stress that no legitimate planning or zoning fees are ever requested via email, and that all application payments must be handled in person through official channels only.

What Residents Should Do

If you receive one of these emails:

• Do NOT send any money
• Do NOT click any links
• Do NOT reply

Instead, report the suspicious message immediately to the Rochester Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals.

Why This Matters

With scammers increasingly targeting smaller communities using AI-generated emails and convincing language, it’s more important than ever to double-check any payment requests, especially when they arrive via email or text.