EPA warns public of fake violation letters

The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency sent out a notice that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General has issued a fraud alert regarding a new phishing scam involving fake EPA Notice of Violation letters.

In this scam, criminals send fraudulent letters to businesses, falsely claiming they have violated environmental regulations such as the Clean Air Act.

The letters, sent via email or U.S. Postal Service, demand payment of fines and provide a fake contact email— invoice@epa.services —which is not associated with the EPA.

The EPA emphasizes that official communication will come from a ".gov" email address, such as "epa.gov."

Businesses receiving such letters are advised to verify their authenticity by contacting the EPA’s enforcement office directly.

Anyone who suspects this scam has targeted them or who has information on potential fraud involving the EPA should report it to the EPA OIG Hotline at (888) 546-8740, by email, or through the online complaint form.

For further details, visit the EPA's webpage on fraudulent Notice of Violation scams.