Harnett: Scam Alert Involving Impersonation of Harnett County Development Services Staff

Harnett County Government is warning residents about a recent scam involving individuals falsely claiming to be employees of the Harnett County Development Services. These scammers are falsely representing themselves as officials from our Planning, Central Permitting, and Inspections team in an effort to solicit payments and sensitive information.

Please be advised:

• Development Services will NEVER request wire transfer information.
• We do not operate under the name “Planning Commission.”
• All official emails will end in “@harnett.org.”

Scammers have been using fake email addresses, including:
 Harnettcountypanningcommission@usa.com (note the misspelling and incorrect domain) and cityofmiddletonplanningcommission@usa.com to name a few.

To protect yourself:
Do not respond to suspicious emails.
Do not send any payments without speaking directly with a verified staff member.
Always verify contact information by visiting our official website: www.harnett.org.

If you receive a suspicious message or have any doubts, please contact Harnett County Development Services directly using the verified contact information below, or report the incident to the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office at (910) 893-9111.

Website: www.harnett.org/devsvc 
Phone: (910) 893-7525

Please share this advisory to help protect others in our community.

Contributed by Harnett County Public Relations Officer Desiree Patrick.

July 24, 2025