It has come to our attention that scammers may be targeting residents who apply to or contact the Cook County Land Services department. The scammers are impersonating Land Services staff. This scam is also happening in several counties across the state. We were informed by citizens that they received an email impersonating a Land Services employee and asked for $7,000 via wire transfer for their variance. Please know that Cook County Land Services will never contact you by email requesting payment via wire transfer.

We share this so you can be aware and cautious. These scammers are sophisticated, and their email may appear official. Always double-check the accuracy of the email address. Look for the correct email domain i.e. first name dot last name @cookcountymn.gov. The scammers used [email protected] which is close but the @usa.com is a red flag to be aware of.

If you have any questions, please call Land Services at 218-387-3630. We also recommend that you only use official payment methods such as E Permitting: https://mn-co-cook.onegov.rtvision.com/

Thank you for your cooperation. We want to ensure that our community is protected from scammers.