The EPA Office of Inspector General Issues a Fraud Alert on New Phishing Scam Involving Notice of Violation Letters
For Immediate Release / July 30, 2024
WASHINGTON –The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General today issued a fraud alert regarding a new and increasingly prevalent phishing scam targeting businesses with fraudulent EPA Notice of Violation letters.
The EPA OIG has received numerous complaints regarding falsified Notice of Violation letters demanding payment for alleged environmental violations. These deceptive letters, bearing the EPA logo, claim that businesses must pay a penalty to resolve a violation of an environmental regulation. However, the contact email provided—invoice@epa.services—is not affiliated with the EPA.
The alert emphasizes that an email address from legitimate U.S. government organizations will always have a “.gov” domain name, such as “epa.gov.” Businesses receiving a Notice of Violation are urged to thoroughly review the letter, including the email address, and contact the EPA's enforcement office directly to verify authenticity.
If you believe you have been the victim of fraud, or have knowledge of potential waste, fraud, and abuse involving EPA operations and programs, please contact the OIG Hotline at (888) 546-8740 or OIG.Hotline@epa.gov.
“Phishing schemes are not new, but this one fraudulently exploits the EPA name and logo to prey on businesses within the regulated community,” said Inspector General Sean W. O’Donnell. “Maintaining vigilance and a healthy dose of skepticism when reviewing these notices could save your business thousands of dollars.”
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About the EPA OIG
The OIG is an independent office within the EPA that performs audits, evaluations, and investigations of the EPA and the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. For more information, visit our website and follow the OIG on X, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Anyone with knowledge of potential waste, fraud, and abuse relating to EPA operations and programs is encouraged to report it to the OIG Hotline at (888) 546-8740 or OIG.Hotline@epa.gov.